| Harvey Smith Peeler, Jr. began his service to the people of Senate District 14 in January of 1981. District 14 is comprised of his home county of Cherokee, along with portions of Spartanburg, York and Union Counties. Now, after 30 years of service in the South Carolina Senate, Peeler sits as the seventh most senior senator.
Following the 2005 legislative session, Senator Peeler accepted the position of Majority Leader of the Senate of South Carolina. This historic honor was bestowed upon him by his fellow Republican Senators and in doing so Peeler became only the second South Carolina Republican to be named Senate Majority Leader since the end of the Reconstruction Era.
Before becoming Majority Leader, in January 2001, Peeler was appointed chairman of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee, a position he still holds today. During his time as chairman, the Senate has been able to pass significant legislation of the reform of medical practice in South Carolina. Prior to his appointment as Medical Affairs Committee Chairman, Peeler was head of the Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee for five years.
Aside from his committee chairmanship, Senator Peeler is heavily involved in the inner workings of the Senate. In 2007, he was appointed as vice-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Among his many roles on Senate Finance Committee, Peeler serves the Executive Subcommittee. In addition to Medical Affairs and Finance, Peeler is currently a member of Education, Ethics, Interstate Cooperation, and Transportation committees, the Joint Bond Review Committee, the Senate Operations and Management committee and is chairman of the State House Committee.
As a member of the State House Committee, Peeler and other legislators were charged with overseeing the most extensive renovation of the State House since its construction. The project was completed and the State House reopened to visitors in August 1998. The South Carolina General Assembly held its first session in the refurbished State House in 1999. |