Lowcountry legislative update

We are roughly at the halfway mark of the second year of this two-year session of the South Carolina General Assembly. At the end of this session in early May, any bill failing to pass both the House and the Senate dies and must start over next year. That schedule brings urgency to the process.

Additionally, as I have mentioned previously in this space, the lion’s share of bills filed in the House are assigned to the Judiciary Committee. In fact, at last count almost 650 bills had been assigned to us. That volume requires prioritization so that subcommittees have time to properly research, schedule public hearings and deliberate the proposals.

February was a busy month at the Statehouse. As I mentioned briefly in this column last month, the state Senate unanimously passed a bill strengthening the state’s DUI laws in response to one of the nation’s highest drunk-driving fatality rates.

The bipartisan bill (S.52) increases penalties when impaired drivers seriously injure someone, toughens enforcement and closes loopholes that allow cases to be dismissed. It shifts prosecution of all DUI cases to prosecutors, discourages refusal of breath or blood tests through stiffer penalties and expands the use of ignition interlock devices. The goal is stronger deterrence and fewer repeat offenders.

After including components of DUI reform in the House version of liquor liability reform last year, I know this is a topic the House is eager to address. One of our Judiciary subcommittees has been studying the Senate bill, and we expect to begin taking testimony later this month.

The House of Representatives also passed the Parental Rights Bill, which strengthens parents as the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives, affirming that their rights are fundamental and not secondary to government agencies. The legislation (H.4757) protects parents’ authority over education, health care, and moral or religious upbringing. It also requires schools and other institutions to be transparent, seek parental consent before providing sensitive instruction or services, and provide clear remedies when those rights are violated. The bill is pending in the Senate.

The House also passed legislation (H.3477) to modernize South Carolina’s unemployment benefits by tying the length of benefits to the state’s unemployment rate. When jobs are plentiful, benefits would be shorter — 12 weeks. When unemployment rises, benefits would extend automatically — up to 20 weeks during tougher economic times. The bill also strengthens accountability by reinforcing job-search requirements and giving the Department of Employment and Workforce clearer authority to prevent fraud and verify compliance.

The House unanimously passed the Ban on Fake Meat bill (H.5096), taking action to protect South Carolina’s agricultural industry and consumers by banning the sale of lab-grown meat in the state. The legislation is intended to protect farmers from being undercut by synthetic, lab-produced products while ensuring transparency for families who want to know exactly what is on their dinner table.

The House Ways and Means Committee also approved the $15.4 billion general fund budget, which will be debated by the full House of Representatives in the middle of this month and then sent to the Senate, where the process repeats. Ultimately, the chambers will negotiate a compromise budget expected in early May.

The committee’s balanced budget takes a disciplined approach emphasizing infrastructure, people and fiscal restraint. Among the largest items are $500 million for road repair and improvements to address past deficits and help eliminate a 30-year backlog in road funding, and $150 million to raise the starting teacher salary to $50,500 while providing a $2,000 increase across all teacher salary lanes.

I look forward to the budget debate.

Building on reforms from last session, the House also passed the Judicial Merit Selection Reform Bill (H.4755), a measure aimed at improving transparency and accountability in South Carolina’s judicial selection process. The legislation reinforces the separation of powers by restoring balance and clarifying the governor’s role in judicial appointments. Supporters say strengthening the process will increase public trust and help ensure courts remain fair, independent and accountable.

Finally, the 180-day “warning window” for South Carolina’s new Hands-Free Driving Law expired at the end of February. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, distracted driving contributes to more than 20,000 crashes each year.

Drivers can still use their phones, but only in hands-free mode through Bluetooth or an earpiece. Holding a phone while driving can now result in a ticket — and potentially far worse consequences if a crash occurs.

If you are caught holding your phone or any other electronic device while driving, the first violation carries a $100 fine. Each subsequent violation carries a $200 fine and adds two points to your driver’s license — points that will almost certainly increase your auto insurance rates.

Avoiding that insurance increase alone should be reason enough to put the phone down.

It is an honor to serve the citizens of the Lowcountry in the South Carolina House of Representatives. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of assistance.

Weston Newton is the representative for District 120 in the State House of Representatives.