NORTH MYRTLE BEACH — 10 House GOP members put on ethics study group

The House majority leader has named 10 Republicans to a committee that is to propose ways to strengthen the state’s ethics laws.

House GOP Leader Kenny Bingham of Lexington said Thursday that six-term incumbent Rep. Murrell Smith will chair the study committee. Smith is an attorney from Sumter.

The nine other House Republicans include Ethics Committee chairman Roland Smith of Warrenville, former House Majority Leader Rick Quinn of Lexington and former prosecutor Tommy Pope of York. Others are Reps. Rita Allison of Lyman, Derham Cole of Spartanburg, Joe Daning of Goose Creek, Phyllis Henderson of Greer, Jenny Horne of Dorchester and Andy Patrick of Hilton Head Island.

Bingham and House Minority Leader Harry Ott, D-St. Matthews, said Wednesday they were forming separate caucus study committees on the issue.

The Associated Press

Lawmakers: We’ll fix glitch for vets’ licenses

S.C. lawmakers are promising to fix a glitch in a new law keeping some National Guard members from getting a special veteran’s designation on their driver’s licenses.

Republican state Sen. Jake Knotts of Lexington and Democrat state Rep. James Smith of Columbia said Thursday they will introduce bills to change the law in the next session.

The original bill was intended to allow those in the Armed Forces to have the word “veteran” below their photo. But the law requires a form National Guard members don’t get unless they are called to active duty or serve in a combat zone.

Beth Parks

The Associated Press

Lawmaker’s license suspension lifted

The license suspension for state Rep. Tracy Edge, R-Horry, has been lifted.

Edge was arrested and charged with driving under suspension last week in North Myrtle Beach and given a warning for driving left of the center line.

Department of Motor Vehicle records show Edge had his license suspended Sept. 13 because he failed to pay an earlier speeding ticket. Edge said he had taken care of the fine three days before his arrest, paying the ticket and a reinstatement fee but a computer lag meant it was not immediate.

The 45-year-old Republican is seeking re-election to the House next month.

The Associated Press