2018 Legislative Update
Representative Robert Q. Williams
House District 62
PROTECTING ELECTRIC RATEPAYERS
The House of Representatives passed the following bills to address the abandonment of the V. C. Summer Nuclear Reactors in Fairfield County which resulted in billions of dollars in fees placed on energy customers. The House passed:
-H.4375, which ELIMINATED ALL CHARGES ON THE ELECTRIC BILLS OF CUSTOMERS THAT SUPPORT THE FAILED PROJECT and REPEALING THE BASE LOAD REVIEW ACT GOING FORWARD. The bill orders new electricity rates for customers by eliminating all of the increases that have been imposed under the Base Load Review Act to finance the failed nuclear power project.
-H.4379, which created the UTILITIES CONSUMER ADVOCATE within the Attorney General’s Office to safeguard the interests of consumers in dealings with public utilities that offer services including electrical power, gas pipelines for heating and cooking needs, water, sewerage, and telecommunications.
-H.4378, a bill that replaced the Public Utilities Review Committee with a new twelve-member UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE and prevent conflicts interests for those serving as committee members.
FY 2017-18 BUDGET FOLLOW-UP
In January as follow up to the actions taken related to the FY 2017-18 Budget, the House voted to override the Governor’s vetoes and voted to fund $20.5 million for the purchasing or leasing of new public school buses.
FY 2018-19 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
This year’s budget includes $7.9 billion in state general funds with $355 million in recurring revenue newly available for appropriation and $189 million in nonrecurring revenue.
$68 million is allocated for Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts, $1.25 million for recovery efforts associated with the Pinnacle Mountain Fire, and $5 million is devoted to 2014 Winter Storm Reimbursement.
For K-12 public education, $60 million is used to increase the base student cost by $75 to arrive at an estimated $2,425 per pupil.
$55.8 million for capital improvements in Abbeville plaintiff school districts and districts with a poverty index of 80% or higher.
In addition, the FY 2018-19 budget allocates $12 million for a K-12 Technology Initiative.
For the second year in a row, full funding is provided for the LIFE, HOPE, and Palmetto Fellows higher education scholarship programs.
The Office on Aging receives a $400,000 increase for Family Caregivers to be used to support caregivers of seniors so that they may remain in their homes instead of a more expensive alternative of institutional care.
The Local Government Fund is maintained at its $212 million level, with an additional $10 M in recurring funds to replace one-time, nonrecurring dollars appropriated for this purpose in the previous year.
The Department of Health and Human Services is afforded $13 million for Rural Health Initiative & Telemedicine with funds being used to address medically underserved communities in the rural areas of the state.
FIRST STEPS REAUTHORIZATION
The Governor signed into law H.3591, which reauthorizes the First Steps to School Readiness program to 2025.
First Steps to School Readiness is the state’s comprehensive early childhood education initiative.
Since its start in 1999, First Steps has helped young children prepare for school through programs that provide early intervention, strengthen families, improve children’s health, increase the quality of early care and help transition rising kindergarteners into school.
SC PREGNANCY ACCOMMODATIONS ACT
H. 3865, the SC Pregnancy Accommodations, became law. This guarantees pregnant women and women recovering from childbirth are provided reasonable workplace accommodations.
The law also protects nursing mothers, protects employees from unwanted accommodations (like forced time off), and requires employers to notify employees of their rights while pregnant.
DISTURBING SCHOOLS
The General Assembly revised the Disturbing Schools statute, returning the law to its original intention of prohibiting nonstudents from disrupting schools. The bill, S. 131, also calls for educators and administrators to exhaust all avenues of behavior discipline before involving law enforcement officials. This move comes amid reports of an increase in the number of students arrested for disturbing schools.
MILITARY PRIORITY REGISTRATION ACT
H.4078 makes provisions for the state’s public institutions of higher learning to give enrollment priority to military related students, including active duty members of the uniformed services, reservists, members of the South Carolina National Guard, and honorably discharged veterans.
SC RETIRED EDUCATOR CERTIFICATE
Signed into law, H.3513 allows a retired South Carolina teacher to be eligible to maintain certification for the purpose of substituting. A retired educator certificate is valid for five years as is renewable. This will keep.
OPIOID ADDICTION: PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
In order to combat the opioid epidemic, the General Assembly passed several bills aimed at preventing and treating addiction.
Bills signed into law include: H. 4600, which provides nonprofit community groups with access to life-saving opioid antidotes; H. 3826, which requires physicians to use tamper-proof prescription pads; S. 918, which sets an initial opioid prescription supply limit at 7 days; and several bills that reform government to streamline treatment. Additionally, opioid education is now included in K-12 health standards and a public awareness campaign has been launched on the dangers of the drugs.
For Detailed Legislative Information: scstatehouse.gov/Publications/Legislative Updates
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to share ideas, or if I may be of service on a legislative issue. RobertWilliams@schouse.gov
Representative Robert Williams
328C Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, SC 29201