S.C. Politics Today: Senate adds hunting dog restrictions

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"The agenda is about supporting the charter school system that we have now ... certainly there will be other issues that come up this year that we'll look at, but no others are on our agenda at this time."

- House Assistant Majority Leader Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville, on the House GOP's education agenda which does not include providing parents tax credits to pay for private school tuition.

CAPITOL CONNECTION

Senate adds hunting dog restrictions

The Senate gave final passage Thursday to a bill that prohibits hunters from using dogs to hunt on property without a landowner's permission.

"The Renegade Hunter Act" makes it illegal to use a dog to hunt a property from a road, a right of way, a property line or boundary for which a person does not have written permission, and imposes a minimum fine of $500.

Anyone convicted of violating the law also faces a one-year hunting license suspension for the misdemeanor.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Yancey McGill, D-Williamsburg, and approved by the Senate Fish, Game, and Forestry Committee, makes no exceptions whether the hunting dog's release is intentional or unintentional.

The bill is now headed to the House. If it passes the House then Gov. Mark Sanford will have the option of signing it into law.

- Roddie Burris

SECRETARY OF STATE STILL ELECTED POST

South Carolina legislators fell short of the two-thirds vote needed to let voters decide if they should elect the secretary of state or have that post appointed.

The House voted for the measure 72-38 Thursday, but that was less than the two-thirds majority required. The vote could be reconsidered next week.

Secretary of State Mark Hammond said he won't ask anyone to give up a right to vote on anything. Hammond said elections make his office accountable to people and that businesses like that his office is not part of some other bureaucracy.

The Republican is in his seventh year in the job.

- The Associated Press

FIRED WORKERS MAY NOT GET JOBLESS BENEFITS

South Carolina workers will have a harder time getting unemployment benefits if they're fired for good reason under legislation that has been approved by lawmakers.

The House voted overwhelmingly Thursday for a temporary state law change that makes it clear the state will not pay jobless benefits to workers when employers prove the workers engaged in gross misconduct.

That includes damaging property, drug use, insubordination or sleeping on the job.

The changes also say the Employment Security Commission will have to provide more information about its handling of claims and appeals.

The legislation will get final approval in the House Friday and go to the Senate.

Legislators also plan a more extensive overhaul of the commission this year.

- The Associated Press

REX MAY ASK FOR CUTS IN STANDARDIZED TESTING

S.C. schools chief Jim Rex may ask state lawmakers to cut the number of tests public school students take.

With looming budget cuts, Rex said he's looking for new ways to cut costs at the state Department of Education.

By eliminating tests not federally mandated, the department could eliminate staffing positions that handle testing.

Tests that could get the boot, Rex said, are end-of-course tests for high school students and social studies tests given in some primary grades.

"A lot of it will depend on whether education is held harmless (in the upcoming budget,)" said Rex, who also is running for governor.

Rex said the department has taken a 31 percent cut and eliminated 105 positions. Meanwhile, the state's school districts have taken a 21 percent cut.

About 1,000 fewer teachers were hired this year.

- Gina Smith

SOVEREIGNTY DEBATE CONTINUES

Lawmakers failed again Thursday to give state sovereignty the shot in the arm some senators say it needs, carrying over to a second week Senate debate over the 9th and 10th amendments.

Senate Republicans want to use the limited powers of the U.S. Constitution to exclude the state from mandatory participation in national health care reform.

An agreement between Senate Democrats and Republicans for an early week vote fell through, said Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens, when Democrats stepped back.

Democrats have discussed the bill all week, and Republicans have been unable to muster the 24 votes it needs in order to break debate.

Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, and Martin both said the two sides are likely to reach a vote sometime early in the week.

- Roddie Burris

GOP LAWMAKERS UNVEIL 2010 AGENDA

House Republicans have released a legislative agenda they say focuses on creating new jobs.

Chief among their proposals is a bill of economic development tax breaks, incentives and reforms suggested by a panel of business leaders. The bill includes changes to property tax breaks counties may offer.

The agenda does not include any form of tax breaks or credits for private school choice. Instead, the House will focus on bolstering the state's charter schools.

Lawmakers, facing an election year, also pledged to oppose federal intrusion on state's rights - particularly in regard to pending federal health care legislation.

ONLINE

- For fresh political and legislative news, visit thestate.com/politics and click on "S.C. Politics Today."

- To read the full text of bills, click on "Find a bill" under the General Assembly category.

- Also, find out how much state employees earn by clicking on "S.C. salary data" and searching the online list.