Aiken County state legislative delegation concludes 'consequential' session

Jun. 5—Paid parental leave for teachers, removing the certificate of need system for hospitals, the Fetal Heartbeat Protection Act and school choice are among the bills signed into law that members of Aiken County's legislative delegation are proud of.

Tom Young

S.C. Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, said he was glad the General Assembly passed laws making paid parental leave available for K-12 teachers and removing the "outdated" certificate of need system for hospitals.

Young said removing the certificate of need system improves healthcare access and lowers costs.

He added he was hopeful the state budget, which includes teacher pay raises and bills that would increase fentanyl trafficking penalties and implement bond reform, would make it out of conference committees soon.

He said he was especially pleased with the announcement of Scout Motors' investment in Richland County. He said he felt there could be economic benefit to Aiken County from the investment.

Bill Clyburn

S.C. Rep. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken, said he was glad the House budget included raises for teachers. He said he felt the raises were needed to improve teacher retention.

He also said he was glad the certificates of need won't begin to sunset until next year.

Clyburn said he was pro-life but took issue with the Fetal Heartbeat Act. He said he felt those types of choices should be between doctors and patients and subject to a strict limit.

He added he was a strong believer in the Second Amendment but had issues with constitutional carry. He said he wanted carriers to have some form of certificate to carry.

Clyburn said he was glad Aiken received funding from the Rural Infrastructure Authority.

Bill Hixon

S.C. Rep. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, said his committee led the way to passing a bill allowing electronic tagging for deer hunts. He said the bill allows for better record keeping and makes it easier for hunters.

He added he was working on the bill increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking. He said he hoped a final version of the bill could be drafted and signed by the governor.

He said he was in favor of a bill that would allow law enforcement agencies to hire retired police officers to fill the 5,000 police vacancies in the state. He said the bill passed the House but did not make it through the Senate. He added the retirement bill is included in a House budget proviso.

Bill Taylor

S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, said the first year of the two-year legislative session was consequential.

"Parents have been given options in choosing how and where their children are educated with the signing into law of the Education Scholarship Trust Fund, more commonly known as Education Savings Accounts," Taylor said. "It is a pilot program that starts small, but when successful, it will be expanded, as Florida and other states have done, so parents can find the right education path allowing every student to succeed."

He also mentioned the Fetal Heartbeat Protection Act and the bill splitting the Department of Health and Environmental Control into two state agencies and the certificate of need repeal. Taylor also said he was hopeful the conference committees would create compromise legislation on bond reform and fentanyl trafficking that can be sent to McMaster.

"A conference committee is still working on the state budget, but assuredly it will bring significant pay raises for teachers and state employees, who are facing inflation pressures like everyone," Taylor continued. "My legislation to protect the state's pension investments from the Woke ideology of ESG passed the House overwhelmingly and awaits Senate approval which could come during the special session in the next few weeks. The goal is to make the most money for the 650,000 people in the retirement system and not invest their money in the Green New Deal."

Taylor said he has been joined by more than 40 representatives on a bill he introduced that would ban the use of central bank digital currency as money in South Carolina.

Bart Blackwell

S.C. Rep. Bart Blackwell, R-Aiken, said he was pleased the budget approved by the South Carolina House of Representatives included pay raises for teachers and police officers, provided additional funding for school resource officers, made additional infrastructure investments while providing tax relief.

Blackwell said he was proud to have supported the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act which McMaster signed May 19 and the school choice expansion bill McMaster signed May 4. Blackwell also said he was proud of supporting the bill repealing the certificate of need system and the Fetal Heartbeat Protection Act.

He said he was hopeful conference committees would soon have fentanyl trafficking reform bills for the House to consider. Blackwell said he hoped the House would consider legislation dealing with boating safety, the equine industry and pari-mutuel wagering, state pension system investing and reorganizing of the Department of Consumer Affairs when it returns in January.

"Finally, we have a few bills dealing with judicial elections that currently reside in a House committee that I will be pushing for action on when we return in January," Blackwell said.

Melissa Oremus

S.C. Rep. Melissa Oremus, R-Graniteville, said she was pleased the General Assembly approved and McMaster signed the Fetal Heartbeat Protection Act and added she was hopeful McMaster would soon be able to sign a bill increasing fentanyl trafficking penalties.

Oremus added she hoped the South Carolina Supreme Court would uphold the Fetal Heartbeat act after Planned Parenthood challenged it.