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

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.

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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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.