Roads Update, Pro-Life Action & Budget Movement

We finished up the week of legislative session in the South Carolina House clearing the way for South Carolina institutions of higher learning to be more competitive in addition to making significant headway on important pro-life reform.

After a year of pressure from South Carolinians who continue to suffer on our hazardous roadways, the Senate has finally amended and returned the road/DOT reform bill we sent them last year. We will be discussing and debating their revisions this week.

Citizens should expect and receive certain basic services from their government, safe roads and bridges being chief among them. I continue to hear from voters in our district that fixing our roads remains their top priority. My House colleagues and I do not intend to delay the passage of this important road funding legislation and will address it as quickly as we are able to do so.

I’m pleased to report we have but one final hurdle to clear in getting the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to a conference committee. In conference, minute details can be cleared up between both the House and Senate allowing a final passage in both legislative bodies placing the bill on Governor Nikki Haley’s desk for her signature. As House conservatives, we have been working for many months to move this important legislation, and I am hopeful that in the coming weeks I will be able to report our efforts have been successful.  Protecting the unborn from violent pain while in the womb is not a political issue, but a moral imperative that I am proud to support.

Finally, after many months of deliberation in subcommittee and full committee the House Ways and Means Committee introduced the state’s annual budget for fiscal year 2016/2017. The bill is currently in the process of being printed and preparations are underway for initial debate on the House floor. Funding our necessities in South Carolina with your precious tax dollars is a responsibility I take seriously. The initial proposal can be found here, and I welcome your feedback and suggestions.

As always, it is a privilege to serve you in the South Carolina House.  If you ever need help with state government, or have any thoughts or concerns about what we are doing, please to not hesitate to contact me.