Senate Session
The Senate had third reading on the following bills and they were sent to the House of Representatives for consideration:
H3358/S201 Real ID: A bill to provide the framework for issuing and renewing state driver’s licenses and identification cards to bring S.C. into compliance with the Federal Real ID Act of 2005. SCDL’s would be transitioned from a ten year to an eight year renewal cycle; provide for the inclusion of a DHS approved image and makes provisions for scanning and retaining copies of original documents like birth certificates, social security cards and proof of residency that are required for establishing identity. A compliant card may only be issued to individuals who present all supporting documents required for a compliant credential.
S114 Alcoholic Beverages: A bill to allow manufacturers or producers of beer/wine to donate their products through wholesalers licensed in the State, to qualified non-profit organizations who have obtained a special permit to sell beer/wine.
S115 S.C. Mandatory Alcohol Server Training Act: A bill to require that individuals employed as a manager or alcohol server on permitted or licensed premises must within a period of time from obtaining employment have an alcohol server certificate. The bill sets a limit on administrative fines and cost of program. It also requires that those serving alcohol cannot drink alcohol while serving.
S116 Alcohol License Requirement: A bill to require that a person licensed or permitted to sell alcoholic beverages for on premises consumption is required to maintain liability coverage during the period of the permit. The insurer writing the liability coverage must notify the Department of a lapse in coverage.
The Senate had second reading on the following bills:
S9 Individual Health Insurance Policy Exclusions: A bill that removes and exclusion for injuries in conjunction with intoxication or narcotic use that health insurers have been permitted to include in individual health and accident policies.
S261 C-PACE: A bill to provide a new financing tool for owners of qualified commercial properties for the purchase and installation of energy efficiency, water efficiency and renewable energy improvements to their buildings. Property owners evaluate measures that achieve energy and water savings and finance up to 100 percent of the clean energy improvements through a long term private, commercial loan that is repaid on the building owner’s annual county property tax bill.
S444 Motor Vehicles: A bill to change automotive three-wheel vehicle to autocycle, and make applicable changes throughout the appropriate code section to be consistent with AAMVA recommendations.
H3438 Interchangeable Biological Products: A bill to establish procedures to allow pharmacist to substitute interchangeable biological products that have been approved by the FDA. Such substitutions may only be made when a practitioner’s prescription provides authorization. The legislation provides labeling requirements and establishes a process for notifying prescribers of the specific biological product that a pharmacist dispenses to a patient. The pharmacy board is required to maintain a link on its website to the current list of all biological products that the FDA has determined to be interchangeable biological products.
COMING THIS WEEK:
Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee:
S468 Industrial Hemp: A bill to create the SC Industrial Hemp program and allow any educational institution to “work with growers” on the farming of industrial hemp without limitation on the number of participants in the program. There is no requirement for background checks, fingerprinting, GPS coordinates of the acreage or a fee. It would allow for the importation of seed, reconditioning of product grown that registers above 3% THC and does not limit the law to a pilot program
Fish, Game and Forestry Committee:
S367 Operating Watercraft in Excess of Idle Speed: A bill to increase the distance between a watercraft and another object near which a watercraft may be operated in excess of idle speed from 50 feet to 100 feet, and to provide that certain watercraft may not be operated upon the intracoastal waterway in excess of idle speed within fifty feet of certain objects.
H3517 Special Authorization for Terminally Ill Youth: A bill providing for special authorization for charitable hunting and fishing programs for terminally ill youth. DNR may issue special authorization to any person not more than twenty-one years of age who has been diagnosed with a terminal or life threatening illness or injury where all license, tags and fees are waived.
H3698 Striped Bass: A bill revising fishing seasons and catch limits for striped bass.
Finance Committee:
Budget deliberations Continue
Judiciary Sub-Committee:
S201 Personhood Act of S.C.: A bill to establish that the right to life for each born and preborn human being vests at fertilization