Reality check: Does SC Rep. Val Guest’s actions match his advertised values?

Reality Check is a new Sun News series holding those in power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email online@thesunnews.com.

South Carolina Rep. Thomas Duval “Val” Guest Jr., R-Horry, put out a recent advertisement stating that he will bring a conservative agenda in 2024.

Specifically, the ad says Guest will be “cracking down on criminals,” “ending the fentanyl crisis” and “protecting the right to life.”

But has Guest, who was elected in 2022, made progress in accomplishing these issues since he’s been in office?

Guest did not return a request to comment Wednesday from The Sun News.

Based on his voting record and sponsored bills in the House here is what his actions show.

Cracking down on criminals

The term “cracking down on criminals” is vague and does not say what Guest’s goal is, but there are several ways he has dealt with crime in 2023 and 2024. The first is through Gavin’s Law, a bill he sponsored.

Gavin’s Law made sexual extortion a felony offense and an aggravated felony offense if it’s against a minor. Sextortion involves blackmailing someone with sexually explicit photos of themselves. With the new law, someone could go to prison for up to 20 years if found guilty of sextortion.

There were other bills Guest voted for that support the idea of cracking down on criminals. One is a bill that constitutes an explanation of what malicious injury to telegraph, telephone or electric utility systems and outlines punishments for breaking the law. If a person causes more than $25,000 worth of damage, they could be fined and sentenced up to 20 years in prison.

Another bill he voted for was to create an Illegal Immigration Enforcement Unit within the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. A team of officers would be formed specifically to uphold federal and state immigration laws. This bill has not become law but was approved by the state senate on Jan. 17.

Ending the fentanyl crisis

Attempting to stop the use of fentanyl is tough. In 2021, the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Services reported 1,494 overdose deaths involving fentanyl. Guest has not sponsored any fentanyl related bills, but he voted yes to give harsher sentences for fentanyl possession.

With the new law that went into effect in June, possessing any amount of fentanyl is a felony. Possessing 2 grains of fentanyl could lead to up to five years in prison and the sentences gradually get harsher depending on the amount of fentanyl a person has. Possessing 28 grams or more will lead to 25 to 40 years in prison.

A bill Guest sponsored but did not make it past a House committee is one that makes kratom a schedule 4 drug, meaning it is mildly addictive. Kratom is an herbal substance that can produce a high similar to opioids. There is little research on it, but some people report that it helps with opioid withdrawals, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

There is not enough research on kratom to know its full effects, but it is less deadly than opioids.

Protecting the right to life

Guest has shown his support for unborn life through his votes. Last year, he voted yes on a fetal heartbeat bill. This bill makes it so that a physician cannot perform an abortion if a heartbeat was found. There are exceptions to this law when it involves rape, incest, if the pregnancy threatens the mother’s life or if there are fatal fetal abnormalities.

The bill punishes physicians that perform abortions, not people who receive them. Performing an abortion could result in a felony, two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Under this law, the state requires all health organizations to cover contraceptives. It also requires child support payments begin at conception.