This week, the House of Representatives gave third reading to S.12, legislation creating a tax study commission to review the state’s entire tax structure. The Senate non-concurred with House amendments, setting up a conference committee expected to meet next week during the last three days of the legislative session. Conferees include Sens. Nikki Setzler (Lexington), Thomas Alexander (Oconee) and Phillip Shoopman (Greenville), as well as Reps. Brian White (Anderson), Jim Battle (Marion) and Jimmy Merrill (Charleston).

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce urges conferees to settle differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill expeditiously in order to pass the legislation this session.

Legislation that passed the House of Representatives in March with 89 votes and the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 17-2 was not debated this week on the Senate floor. H.3305, a state constitutional amendment designed to combat the misnamed federal Employee Free Choice Act, or “card check,” would protect the rights of South Carolina workers to vote by secret ballot in union elections. 

H.3305, vital to improving the state’s business climate, must move forward next week before the General Assembly adjourns for the year. If “card check” legislation were to pass at the federal level, H.3305 would protect thousands of jobs in the state, a key issue since South Carolina currently has the second highest unemployment rate in the nation at 11.4 percent. 

This week, the South Carolina House of Representatives passed legislation to restructure and stabilize the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA). S.351 includes language prohibiting the governor to remove port board members at-will.

The legislation now returns to the Senate, where there are several differences to be worked out between House and Senate versions. First, the House version states board members will be chosen from South Carolina’s congressional districts with the Secretaries of Transportation and Commerce serving as ex-officio members. The other key difference in the House bill is a provision to require the SCSPA to sell property it owns on Daniel Island no later than December 31, 2012 or risk losing the property to Berkeley County. Former land owners would be given first right of refusal to purchase back their land from the SCSPA at the same price they sold it for originally.

The South Carolina General Assembly passed a $5.6 billion appropriations bill this week, creating a new section of the budget that spends $350 million in federal stimulus dollars if South Carolina is able to receive those funds. In unprecedented fashion, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman (Florence) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper (Anderson) were able to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget without forcing a conference committee.

Governor Mark Sanford, who has not accepted the $700 million in federal stimulus because he wants some of the money to be used to pay down state debt, will issue budget vetoes next week.

A group of senators is requesting a comprehensive audit into awards issued by the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. Sens. Ray Cleary (Georgetown), Harvey Peeler (Cherokee), Mike Fair (Greenville), Chip Campsen (Charleston), Ronnie Cromer (Newberry), Thomas Alexander (Oconee), Shane Martin (Spartanburg), Paul Campbell (Berkeley), Phillip Shoopman (Greenville), Kevin Bryant (Anderson), Tom Davis (Beaufort), Lee Bright (Spartanburg) and Mick Mulvaney (Lancaster) each signed a letter requesting the audit.

Kaye Hearn, chief judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals, has been elected to the Supreme Court by the General Assembly. In addition, Ralph King “Tripp” Anderson has been elected chief judge of the Administrative Law Court.