May 2 2013

project conflict: SC Policy Council

Our friends over at the South Carolina Policy Council have begun a “project conflict”. They’ve asked legislators to voluntarily disclose all sources of income over $1,000 as it is their view that it should be law. Currently, the only source of income I have that meets this criteria is already current law. Because of state contracts (Medicaid, State Health Plan), I have to disclose that I am president of Bryant Pharmacy & Supply and I disclose the amounts of these contracts. You can look this up here.

Here’s what they are asking:

Report any paid, private-source positions held by you and your spouse (please list name in parentheses and identify as spouse); and generating at least $1,000 in income from Jan. 1, 2012, to the present date. Freshman legislators: Please report paid, private-source positions held by you and your spouse from Nov. 6, 2012, to the present date. Positions include, but are not limited to, those of an officer, director, trustee, general partner, proprietor, representative, employee or consultant of any corporation, firm, partnership or other business enterprise; or any paid positions with private nonprofit organizations or private educational institutions. Lawyer-legislators: Please list the primary areas of legal practice for your law firm under the heading titled, “Type of Organization.” Do not report any paid positions with state or local government entities for you or your spouse.

Report the source and type of earned (salary, wages, contracts, consulting fees, etc.) and investment income (dividends, capital gains, rent, etc.; for stocks, please list names of companies; for rental property, please describe type of property and give address) of at least $1,000 for you and your spouse (please list name in parentheses and identify as spouse) from Jan. 1, 2012, to the present date. Freshman legislators: Please report sources of earned and investment income of at least $1,000 for you and your spouse from Nov. 6, 2012, to the present date. No dollar amount of earned or investment income needs to be specified for you or your spouse. Do not report income from any state or local government entity in South Carolina for you or your spouse.

When do we stop and where do we draw the line? I have mixed feelings about some of this discussion, but as always I’m all ears. The South Carolina Legislature is a part time position. Most members of the General Assembly have other jobs. I think its a good thing. It is healthy to leave the intoxicating atmosphere in Columbia every week and spend a couple of days working in the real world. If and when we strengthen these requirements, it probably won’t affect me personally, however, I struggle with the notion of mandatory disclosure for business associations that are not remotely affected by South Carolina Statute. One of my colleagues noted that this information could be used by a competitor unfairly. Also, should non-conflicting interests of our spouses be public? Feel free to post your thoughts.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

May 1 2013

SC Teenpact

(by Kelsey Farnham) Senator Bryant has been the legislative sponsor for TeenPact 2013 in South Carolina. TeenPact is an organization with a mission to train youth to understand the political process, value their liberty, defend the Christian faith, and engage in culture at a time in their lives when, typically, they do not care about such things.

Each year, a group of students ages 13-18, come to Columbia for a four day camp where students meet important officials, interview lobbyists, analyze legislation, discuss current events, pray for their leaders, improve their public speaking skills, write their own bills, and conduct their own TeenPact legislature. Classes are fast-paced, hands-on, and create dynamic experiences where a vision is casted for citizenship and students are coaxed out of their comfort zones.

Senator Bryant Introduced this year’s group of TeenPact students as a group of South Carolina’s brightest upcoming leaders from the Senate floor on Tuesday. He also spoke at their end of week graduation. After the students acted out their mock legislation with their own personal written bills, Senator Bryant gave some real life experiences and examples of bills going through the Senate this week. He talked about causes that he’s been advocating for throughout his term and spoke on the challenges of living out a genuine ‘salt of the world’ life in the Senate. He congratulated the students on finishing the leadership school, encouraged them to get involved with a political party, cause, or campaign, and motivated them as they left with a quote on persistence by 30th president Calvin Coolidge.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

Apr 30 2013

h.3560 limits gun possession to mentally ill

h.3560 is legislation that adds persons deemed mentally ill to the list of individuals not allowed to own or purchase a gun. We would probably all agree that an armed severe mental illness patient would be a threat to public safety. However, the bill is inartfully drawn. It contains this language:

Adjudicated as a mental defective’ means a determination by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority that a person, as a result of marked subnormal intelligence, or mental illness, incompetency, condition, or disease

A court, board, commission, or other lawful authority is a huge loophole. So far, our efforts to only allow a court to adjudicate have been defeated. I’m still skeptical of h.3560, however, limiting the adjudications to only courts, would help most of my heartburn.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

Apr 30 2013

dew: business tips for lower taxes

The Department of Employment and workforce has issued a guide for business owners to assist them in keeping unemployment taxes lower. click here to see the guide

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

Apr 29 2013

School Choice test vote barely fails

S.250 exempts public schools from having to report to the Secretary of State as a charitable organization. There is adequate oversight on publics schools’ fundraising activity, so I support this bill. As you may know, I’ve tried to offer amendments on several related bills to get an up or down vote on school choice. Previously, all these amendments have been ruled out-of-order under the germane rules.

I was successful in drafting a germane amendment, that doesn’t really do anything, but did give us a test vote on choice.

The amendment was successfully tabled, by a 22-20 vote.

This is a tabling motion, so the ayes are against the amendment and the nays are in favor of it.
AYES – 22 Alexander, Thomas C.; Allen, Karl B.; Coleman, Creighton B.; Courson, John E.; Hayes, Robert W., Jr.; Hutto, C. Bradley; Johnson, Kevin L.; Lourie, Joel; Malloy, Gerald; Martin, Larry A.; Matthews, John W., Jr.; McElveen, J. Thomas, III; McGill, J. Yancey; Nicholson, Floyd; O’Dell, William H.; Pinckney, Clementa C.; Rankin, Luke A.; Reese, Glenn G.; Scott, John L., Jr.; Setzler, Nikki G.; Sheheen, Vincent A.; Williams, Kent M.
NAYS – 20 Bennett, Sean; Bright, Lee; Bryant, Kevin L.; Campsen, George E., III; Cleary, Raymond E., III; Corbin, Thomas D.; Cromer, Ronnie W.; Davis, Tom; Fair, Michael L.; Ford, Robert; Gregory, Chauncey K.; Hembree, Greg; Martin, Shane R.; Massey, A. Shane; Peeler, Harvey S., Jr.; Shealy, Katrina Frye; Thurmond, Paul; Turner, Ross; Verdin, Daniel B., III; Young, Tom, Jr.
EXCUSED ABSENCE – Campbell, Paul G., Jr.; Grooms, Lawrence K.
NOT VOTING – Jackon, Darrell; Leatherman, Hugh

The amendment added “scholarship granting organizations whose contributors receive tax credits” to be exempt from the charitable registrations. We do not have tax credits for sgo contributions, but when we do, these sgo’s will be highly overseen by the department of revenue.

Considering the voting history of members not voting, we are very close to success.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

Apr 26 2013

a dump truck of debt s. 578

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

Apr 25 2013

s. 649 an open invitation to firearms manufacturers

sponsors: Senators Bryant, Shane Martin, Shealy, Bright, Corbin and Davis

A SENATE RESOLUTION TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES AND FIREARMS MANUFACTURERS FROM OUT OF STATE TO LOCATE IN THE PALMETTO STATE.

Whereas, Congressman Jeff Duncan from South Carolina has been very proactive in reaching out to firearms manufacturers that are located in states where restrictive gun control laws are being implemented; and

Whereas, Congressman Duncan firmly believes that we should continue to send a strong signal to other manufacturers that South Carolina would make a great place to relocate; and

Whereas, South Carolinians honor the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution that protects the right to keep and bear arms and South Carolina is a right-to-work state. These are just a few of the reasons we must be proactive in advertising our stellar business climate to firearms manufacturers; and

Whereas, no state property tax, no local income tax, no inventory tax, no sales tax on manufacturing machinery, no wholesale tax, no unitary tax on worldwide profits, and a favorable corporate tax structure are all great incentives for businesses and it is important that we promote every reason possible for relocation; and

Whereas, one way for us to continue momentum on this front is for the General Assembly to pass a resolution encouraging businesses to relocate to the Palmetto State; and

Whereas, promoting this measure is another important step in attracting firearms manufacturers to our great state. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the Senate, by this resolution, encourage businesses and firearms manufacturers from out of state to locate to the Palmetto State.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Congressman Jeff Duncan, Governor Nikki Haley, and the South Carolina Department of Commerce.
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By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

Apr 25 2013

debt and incentives, s. 578

Here’s a clip of Sen. Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) and I sharing our concerns over s. 578, and discussing some of the qualities of the Coolidge administration.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

Apr 24 2013

04.25.13 Joint Other Funds Committee Agenda

I’ll be in a Labor Commerce & Industry Committee, but here is the agenda for the South Carolina Joint Other Funds Committee. The hearing will be Thursday Morning at 9am in room 105 in the Gressette Building.

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •

Apr 24 2013

opposition to incentives and more debt s. 578

By Kevin Bryant • Uncategorized •