1-The current system allows for a pharmacist to supervise 2 technicians or 3 if 2 out of 3 are board certified. The board certification is an extra level of education that some technicians have. Board certified technicians have extra responsibilities, but in my 24 years of experience, I have seen minimal benefit to this extra education. My amendment allows a pharmacist to supervise 3 technicians whether certified or not. Increasing the pharmacist to pharmacy technician ratio frees up the pharmacist to spend time with their customers helping them understand their medication therapy.

2-Currently, pharmacists are required to get 15 hours of continuing education. The law requires that some of these hours be obtained at a live presentation and the rest either live or home study. The amendment changes this mandate and gives the pharmacist the option of getting all 15 hours live, home study, or a combination of both.

Sen. Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg) introduced a series of amendments diverting extra revenue to our dilapidating roads and crumbling bridges. The state portion of this year’s budget contains an estimated $700 million extra over last year. Remember the state portion is only a 1/3 of the pie. There are Federal Funds and other funds in the mix. One amendment called for 10% of the state funds to go to roads, and two other amendments for 5%, and 1%. All tabled by the rinocrat majority. See the math below if you like.*

They stand on this logic: “You can’t make these cuts, you’re cutting education! It will threaten our triple A credit rating”.

Well, let’s look at the first argument. One of the education line items this year is nearly $2.2 billion, $122 million over last year’s appropriation. These amendments may decrease the proposed increase request, but it’s not a cut. The 10% amendment leaves an increase of $23 million, 5% $69 million, and with the 1% roads amendment this education line would still get an increase of $115 million.

As for the triple A credit rating? Y’all know I don’t like debt, however, since my colleagues continue to borrow and spend, your grandchildren will at least get a decent rate on the inherited debt. But this thing about the credit agencies will frown on general funds being spent on roads is somehow to our disadvantage is a red herring. Many states spend general funds this way.

There’s no logical argument against the fiscal responsible approach to spending what we have on core functions of government like roads. Most politicians would rather spend your money on fluff behind your back, then come to you and say “look at our roads, we have to raise your taxes and increase your debt, it’s our only option”.

The borrowing and tax hikes for roads are coming, so grab your wallet with both hands!

*amendment calculations
10% amendment: $636m to roads, $64m to grow government ($23m education)
5% amendment: $318m to roads, $382m to grow government ($69m education)
1% amendment: $64m to roads $636m to grow government ($115m education)

It doesn’t take a lot of listening to the South Carolina General Assembly to know that most Republican lawmakers aren’t lining up to voice support for the Obama Administration. After all, South Carolina is a conservative state, right?

Some GOP lawmakers are moving forward with an agenda that should make voters wonder whether “conservative” will remain as an accurate description for the state. That agenda is taxpayer funding to implement Obama’s universal early-childhood education plan, a version of which is moving forward in the state budget process.

You should be concerned. Very concerned. Under the guise of “making high quality pre-school available to every child,” left-wing social engineers and pandering politicians are partnering to foist another controlling, costly and failed policy on taxpayers in South Carolina.

We feel confident backing up the description of “controlling, costly and failed.” After all, we are talking about a program championed by the good folks at the NEA to enforce government education of all children as quickly as they can get their hands on them. Specifically, the National Education Association stated in their 2013 Resolutions, that “the Association supports early childhood education programs in the public schools for children from birth through age eight,” and “mandatory kindergarten with compulsory attendance.” Read on

Our speaker for our May meeting will be Anderson County state senator Kevin Bryant. Senator Bryant will bring us up to date on the serious legislation passing through the SC General Assembly this year. Including Obamacare and nullification as well as legislation Senator Bryant is sponsoring. Come join us !

Congratulations to Mayor Terence Roberts, his administration, and the Anderson Arts Center.

If YOU want to design YOUR home, I’m not interested in telling YOU who YOU can hire (with YOUR money) for assistance. This is not a core function of government. Below is a letter we’ve received from the National Kitchen & Bath Association.

Dear Senator Bryant: Please accept the attached letter on behalf of the National Kitchen & Bath Association and its more than 830 members in the State of South Carolina voicing our strong opposition to unnecessary licensing of the interior design profession.

This bill is being advanced by a small group of interior designers who seek to fence out the competition and benefit themselves economically by virtue of the passage of a licensing bill which the vast majority of interior designers will not qualify for. There is absolutely no need for the State to add to the regulatory burdens on small businesses by establishing new occupational licensing laws on a profession that has worked for decades without public concern or harm, and where the public is already protected by virtue of the State’s building and permitting codes, rules and regulations.

Passage of this Bill will negatively impact thousands of designers, contractors, retail showrooms and trades, make it more difficult for independent designers, the majority of whom are woman, to work and remain in business, and disproportionately impact minorities and second career switchers who will find themselves shut out from entering the design field.

Thank you for your consideration of our position, and of course, if we can provide you with any additional information or testimony, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Respectfully, Edward Nagorsky