House, Senate swap key proposals

By Zane Wilson - zwilson@thesunnews.com

COLUMBIA --

With only five legislative days left for the House and Senate to send bills from one side to the other, both chambers plan to concentrate on pending measures they hope to get passed this year.

Bills sent from one side to the other after May 1 do not have to be taken up, though they can if members vote to do so. Even getting a bill to the other side by May 1 doesn't guarantee passage because it leaves only about a month to get a measure through committee review and a floor vote.

The Senate decided Thursday to put off consideration of the proposed cigarette tax increase until May 6. Because that is a House bill, senators can work on it after the deadline and hand their version back to the House in time for possible passage this year.

The Senate version raises the 7-cents-a-pack tax to 57 cents and allocates the new money to health insurance programs for low-income residents.

The Senate has a pages-long agenda of bills that have not been dealt with that members say they will work on this week and the next.

Among them is another attempt at banning kids under 6 from using all-terrain vehicles and requiring those between 6 and 16 to take a safety course.

The bill is aimed at lowering the number of youngsters who are being killed on the vehicles.

Another measure favored by many constituents would allow nonprofit organizations to hold raffles for charitable purposes. Though many do hold raffles, it's technically illegal.

Also awaiting resolution is a proposal to regulate the use of river water in the state. Many industries oppose doing so, but some lawmakers say action is needed to support the state's position against some uses of water shared by North Carolina and Georgia.

In the House, members will debate bills that restructure some government agencies.

Also up for floor consideration this week are two bills that directly affect Horry County. One delays the revaluation of newly sold property until the next reassessment for everyone. Horry County officials say it will cost $31 million to the county, schools and towns. Legislators who support the bill say it is costing money to most of the other counties.

Another bill up for debate would allow public schools and colleges to collaborate on a capital projects sales tax referendum. Horry County's House members sponsored the bill so that Horry Schools, Coastal Carolina University and Horry-Georgetown Technical College could join in a tax referendum if they wish.

With a capital projects sales tax referendum, a list of projects must be put on the ballot. The sales tax expires in seven years for counties and 15 years for schools.

Up for committee review in the House this week is a bill by Rep. Vida Miller, D-Pawleys Island, that would let cities have a capital projects sales tax referendum. Currently only counties and school districts can do that.

House and Senate conferees could meet again to continue work on their differing versions of an immigration bill. Last week, the House agreed to the Senate's demands that private employers be held responsible for hiring illegal immigrants but wanted to change how the Senate plans to carry that out.

As the session ended Thursday afternoon, both sides traded barbs in the form of news releases, accusing each other of delaying action on the bill. Such accusations are typical when a high-profile bill is being reviewed by a conference committee.

A bill revising the way homeowners' associations operate will have a hearing in a Senate subcommitee Wednesday. The measure spells out that documents such as account books and minutes are open to all residents of HOAs and ensures notice on proposed rules changes. The hearing is at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Room 307 of the Gressette Senate Office Building.

Contact ZANE WILSON at 357-9188.