TMCnet News
Myrtle Beach area lawmakers prefile billsMYRTLE BEACH, Dec 19, 2012 (The Sun News (Myrtle Beach - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Local lawmakers stamped their names on a handful of potential new laws on Tuesday, the final date for prefiling bills. Among those suggesting new bills was Sen. Greg Hembree, who just started his first term last week. Hembree, the former solicitor in Horry and Georgetown counties filed a bill that would amend the 1976 code that defines offenses that do not have the option of parole. His suggestion adds class D, E and F felonies to the no parole list. Rep. Alan Clemmons prefiled several bills, some on his own and some jointly. One sets term limits in a joint resolution that amends the state constitution beginning with House members who ware elected in 2014. Under his bill elected representatives that had served four full terms in the House, or at least eight years in the general assembly, would not be eligible to serve in the House of Representatives. Similarly, state senators who had served two full terms, or eight years in the general assembly, would not be able to serve as members of the senate. The same four term and two term limits would be applied to the S.C. Code of Laws. He also filed a bill jointly with representatives Bakari Sellers, Beth Bernstein and Garry Smith, that would authorize investments of political subdivisions, to authorize investment in obligations of an Israeli corporation, the state of Israel or a political subdivision of the state of Israel, if the obligation were in U.S. dollars with an investment grade rating. Another bill he filed jointly with Sellers would enact the Iran divestment act of 2013 and prohibit investments and contracts with people engaging in investment activities with Iran. With Greg Delleney and David Mack, Clemmons filed a bill that would set a date for the election of successors to several expiring judge seats. That date would be set as Jan. 30, 2013 at noon. The terms would expire the same day. Jointly with Smith, Clemmons also filed a bill that would allow South Carolina to opt out of the American Health Benefit Exchange in the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" of 2010. Clemmons and Stephen Goldfinch filed a bill that would enact "South Carolina Giving Back to our Veterans Act." The law relates to deductions from S.C. taxable income for retirement benefits attributable to service on active duty in the armed forces. The deduction would be phased in over four years. The pair also added a bill called the "S.C. Military Service Integrity and Preservation Act of 2013." This bill would make falsely representing service in the military or earning military honors for personal gain a misdemeanor crime. Rep. Nelson Hardwick filed a bill that would make it unlawful to "gig" for flounder in salt waters during daylight hours. Contact AMANDA KELLEY at 626-0381. ___ (c)2012 The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) Visit The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) at www.thesunnews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |