Week Ending February 27, 2015

At the Statehouse….

Due to inclement weather, it was a short work week. The House and Senate adjourned Wednesday afternoon and will not return until next Tuesday, March 3.

Legislative Action This Week…

Sales Tax Exemptions (Priority) >H.3671, introduced last week by Reps. Jenny Horne and Mia McLeod, would eliminate certain sales tax exemptions in South Carolina.The proposal eliminates about $2 billionin sales tax exemptions, using that new revenue to pay for the state’s schools and roads. At this point we are certain the proposed legislation will dramatically affect our agricultural operations. SCFB staff is analyzing the economic impact on SC farmers and ranchers, which could be over hundreds of millions of dollars.

It is imperative that Farm Bureau members contact their House of Representative members and urge them to oppose H.3671.

Agricultural Water Use (Priority) > The push is ongoing by Environmental groups to amend the Surface Water Permitting Act of 2010 and place Agriculture as a permitted user. We urge all Farm Bureau members to contact your elected officials and voice opposition. We stand firmly against any amendments to the current Surface Water Permitting Act at this time.

Wingard Copeland of Copeland Farmsin Ehrhardt, SC: “Irrigation is the lifeblood of our cattle and row crop operation.

Please visit Save SC Farmers: http://www.savescfarmers.com/

Repair and Maintenance of Rural Roads and Bridges (Priority) > A litany of infrastructure legislation is being discussed in the General Assembly. Legislation introduced by Rep. Gary Simrill (York) and others of the House Ad Hoc Transportation Committees includes recommendations from the group’s extensive study. Rep. Tommy Stringers’ (Greer) bill outlines the income tax-roads plan Governor Haley unveiled during her State of the State address last month. The Senate Finance Transportation Funding Special Subcommittee discussed this week a package of legislation dealing with funding. Senator Cleary (Georgetown) took the Senate floor Tuesday on a point of personal interest regarding roads. He plans to introduce a new plan next week. Farm Bureau continues to call upon the General Assembly to address this critical priority this year.

Bills of Interest

S.11: Notice of meetings for public bodies

Sponsors, Sen. L. Martin, Malloy, Peeler, Courson, Campsen, Johnson, Hembree, Setzler, Coleman, Alexander, Scott and Sheheen

NOTICE OF MEETINGS FOR PUBLIC BODIES, TO REQUIRE THAT A PUBLIC BODY MUST PROVIDE AN AGENDA FOR ALL REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS AND THAT ITEMS SHALL NOT BE ADDED TO THAT AGENDA LATER THAN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING, EXCEPT BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE BODY. House Judiciary Committee

H 3192: Notice of meetings for public bodies

Sponsors, Reps.Newton,Cole,Anderson,Bales,G.A. Brown,etc.

PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, SO AS TO REQUIRE AN AGENDA FOR THE MEETINGS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH ITEMS MAY BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA. Senate Judiciary Committee

H. 3203: Utility Trailer

Sponsors, Rep. Bernstein

TO DEFINE THE TERM "UTILITY TRAILER" AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE EQUIPMENT THAT MUST BE USED TO ATTACH A TOWING VEHICLE TO A UTILITY TRAILER. House Committee on Education and Public Works

H. 3430: Tires

Sponsors, Reps. Simrill, G.M. Smith, Felder, Pope, Weeks, Taylor, Hixon, Corley, Norrell, Ridgeway, Henderson, G.A. Brown, Long, Lucas, Brannon, Pitts, Atwater, Gagnon and Gambrell

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO SELL OR INSTALL AN UNMOUNTED, UNSAFE USED TIRE ONTO A PASSENGER CAR OR LIGHT TRUCK, TO DEFINE "UNSAFE", TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO CONDUCT INSPECTIONS, TO PROVIDE A CIVIL FINE FOR EACH VIOLATION House Judiciary Committee

On the National Side

Homeland Security Funding: Funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expires tonight at midnight unless Congress can pass a spending bill to keep the agency open. If funding expires, the agency will enter a partial shutdown that could impact visa processing, although 80 percent of DHS staff will continue to work for national security purposes.

The House will consider a three week extension of DHS funding, but early Friday morning reports suggested that House Democrats will oppose the stopgap measure in favor of a clean spending bill. The eleventh hour showdown comes as a result of disagreement over President Obama’s executive orders on immigration.

Keystone Pipeline: This week, President Obama vetoed the bipartisan Keystone Pipeline legislation. Republicans leaders have vowed to hold an override vote next week, but the measure will likely fall short of the two-thirds vote requirement to override a presidential veto.

DC Visit: SCFB’s National Legislative Committee visited Washington, D.C. this past week and met with the SC congressional lawmakers and their staff. The committee discussed several key issues impacting SC farmers, including water, immigration, taxes, and trade authority. Members of the committee include: President Winkles, Keith Allen, Ben Gramling, Jason Rodgers, Wesley Ulmer, Landy Weathers, J.E.B. Wilson, and Charles Wingard.