This is why this feature needs to be done after each day the General Assembly is in session. Like a college football team playing its first game of the year, we were a little rusty out of the gate — and absent-mindedly short of AAA batteries for the voice recorder. Regardless, a lot happened in the first week of this year’s session, and here’s a few of the highlights.

TUESDAY
HOUSE
Statement from Rep. Ted Pitts

• Today, on the first day of the 2010 legislative year, it disappoints me that I cannot be there at the opening of what will be my last year as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. If plans do not change, the next time I step on the floor of the House, it will be as a former member. Serving the County and State I love so much in the S.C. House has been one of the greatest honors of my life and the memories and friendships will be cherished. The House truly is a great institution, bigger than any one person and an embodiment of what our Founding Fathers intended, with South Carolinians deciding collectively through a representative democracy, what is best for South Carolina. During 2010, I have been called to serve our State and Country in a different place and on a different front. Like many after the attacks of 9/11, I found myself wanting to do my part to protect and defend the greatness of this Country. It is now my turn to go do my part in the ‘War on Terror’ as a Captain in the South Carolina National Guard, like Luke 12:48 says “To those much is given, much is expected.”

Special presentation

• Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell and the Charleston delegation presented former Rep. Wallace Scarborough with a showing of their thanks for his service in the General Assembly.

Reported out of committee favorably

• H. 4219, sponsored by Rep. Jim Harrison, a censure resolution of Gov. Mark Sanford. It was ordered to be taken up on Wednesday.

SENATE
Introduced

• S. 1040, by Sen. Mike Rose, to allow games of Texas hold ‘em, or any other poker game, to be played at Federal military installations in the state, as permitted by the base commander.

Received from the House

• H. 4022, by Ted Pitts, to provide that firearms, ammunition and accessories manufactured and kept in South Carolina are exempt from Federal firearms laws.

Debate interrupted

• S. 424, by Sen. Lee Bright, relating to the rights of South Carolinians under the Ninth and 10th Amendments. A strike-and-replace amendment to the bill was offered, to address actions by Congress relating to health care and bailouts. The action surprised Democrats, who began a filibuster.

WEDNESDAY
HOUSE
Motion

• Rep. Tom Young requested that the House adjourn in memory of former state Treasurer Grady Patterson.

Introduced

• H. 4298, by Rep. Joan Brady, related to reform of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.
• H. 4299, by Rep. Dan Cooper, to allow spending flexibility among public schools in a number of areas.
• H. 4303, by Rep. Kenny Bingham, immediate reforms to the Employment Security Commission, including parameters for disqualifying some applicants and upgrading technology.
• H. 4327, By Rep. Mike Sottile, to provide an exception to Sunday beer and wines laws, so as to allow an establishment already allowed to sell beer and wine to purchase a permit that would allow them to sell on Sunday.

Reported out of committee favorably

• H. 4253, sponsored by Rep. Tim Scott, a concurrent resolution to urge the Department of Commerce to start a business recruitment initiative that emphasized South Carolina’s right-to-work status.

Ordered to third reading

• H. 3279, by T. Young, to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to allow the voters to decide as to whether they would support removing the secretary of state from the number of constitutional officers on the ballot. It passed, 77-41.

Passed

• H. 4219, by Harrison, to censure the Governor. The concurrent resolution passed with a margin of 102-11. Most no votes were by Democrats who wanted to see a sterner resolution.

Debate adjourned

• Debate was adjourned for two bills relating to the budget until Feb. 2. One was the actual budget bill (H. 3561), and the other was a bill to amend the tax code (H. 3854, by Cooper).
• H. 3543, by Brady, implementing a dating violence policy to help local school districts to develop their own policies and to create reporting requirements. Rep. Walt McLeod wanted to see how much such a measure would cost, and requested the bill be taken back up on Jan. 20.
• H. 3280, by T. Young, to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to allow the voters to decide as to whether they would support removing the superintendent of education from the number of constitutional officers on the ballot.
• H. 3608, by Rep. David Mack, to establish early voting centers, a way for a voter to register and vote early, and other matters related to the issue.

SENATE
Introduced

• S. 1042, by Sen. Jake Knotts, to allow teachers to administer corporal punishment on school grounds without being subject to civil or criminal penalties, and extending that protection to administrators and the district.

Reported out of committee favorably

• H. 3488, by Rep. James Smith, to develop a committee to address veterans’ issues.

Recalled, sent to committee

• H. 4219, by Harrison, to censure the Governor. Knotts suggested that the bill should go through the normal committee process, and the resolution was sent to the Judiciary Committee.

Passed on second reading

• S. 1027, by Sen. Yancey McGill, to prohibit hunters from using dogs on private property without permission.

Debate interrupted

• S. 424, by Bright, relating to the rights of South Carolinians under the Ninth and 10th Amendments. A strike-and-replace amendment to the bill was offered, to address actions by Congress relating to health care and bailouts. Democrats continued their filibuster.

THURSDAY
HOUSE
Special presentation

• Harrell and the Charleston delegation presented Mack with his Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Picture Award for “going above and beyond” his service to the community.

Introduced

• H. 4336, by Cooper, to extend the deadline for a report and recommendations from the Taxation Realignment Commission from March 15 to Nov. 15.
• H. 4348, by Rep. Anton Gunn, to require minutes of full committees and subcommittees of the House be recorded by voice recorder, archived, available online and to require that votes on all actions be taken by roll call vote.

Ordered to third reading

• H. 4299, by Cooper, to allow spending flexibility among public schools in a number of areas.

Ordered to third reading, as amended

• H. 4303, by Bingham, immediate reforms to the Employment Security Commission, including parameters for disqualifying some applicants and upgrading technology. It passed, 112-1.

Rejected

• H. 3279, by T. Young, to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to allow the voters to decide as to whether they would support removing the secretary of state from the number of constitutional officers on the ballot. It failed by lacking a two-thirds majority, 72-38.

Adopted and sent to Senate

• H. 4253, sponsored by Scott, a concurrent resolution to urge the Department of Commerce to start a business recruitment initiative that emphasized South Carolina’s right-to-work status.

Debate adjourned

• H. 3280, by T. Young, to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to allow the voters to decide as to whether they would support removing the superintendent of education from the number of constitutional officers on the ballot.

SENATE
Introduced

• S. 1053, by Sen. Glenn McConnell, to mandate that no fee, penalty or tax can be raised in the general appropriations bill, and only by separate legislation, and to provide exemptions.

Passed on second reading as amended

• S. 517, by Sen. Tom Davis, to prevent any part of state government from administratively raising a fee or penalty without said increase first being approved by the General Assembly. The provision would expire at the end of the session.

Ordered to third reading

• H. 3488, by J.E. Smith, to develop a committee to address veterans’ issues.

Passed on third reading, sent to House

• S. 1027, by McGill, to prohibit hunters from using dogs on private property without permission, as amended by committee.

Debate interrupted

• S. 424, by Bright, relating to the rights of South Carolinians under the Ninth and 10th Amendments. A strike-and-replace amendment to the bill was offered, to address actions by Congress relating to health care and bailouts. Democrats continued their filibuster.

QUOTES
Statement by Sens. McConnell, Billy O’Dell, Larry Martin, Thomas Alexander, and Hugh Leatherman in regard to the vote to adjourn on Thursday.
Today, the opponents of the Sovereignty Resolution, S. 424, who had been engaging in extended debate to block passage offered to conclude the debate on Tuesday if the Senate would adjourn. Those of us who wanted to pass the Resolution did not have the cloture votes to conclude the debate today and vote up or down. Therefore, the offer by the opponents was reasonable and made good common sense. There was no need to sit here today in a filibuster and then be back in a filibuster on Tuesday when we could conclude the matter on Tuesday. To vote against adjournment meant no deal and no end to the debate. A vote by supporters of the Resolution with the opponents today to adjourn assures an end to the filibuster.

This was explained to the other supporters of the Resolution who chose instead to oppose adjournment. That vote, in our opinion, was supposed to apparently make them appear more determined than some of us to pass the Resolution; but, in actuality, their votes, if they prevailed, would have left the Resolution to die in extended debate.

= = =

On H. 4219, the resolution to censure
Harrison: Ladies and gentlemen, we have lived this nightmare for the past seven months.

= = =

As Harrell and the Charleston delegation stood at the podium on Thursday
Rep. Harry Cato: Mr. Speaker, if I knew how to turn you on, I would.
Laughter
Cato: Mr. Speaker, if I knew how to turn your microphone on, I would.

= = =

While speaking in opposition to the superintendent of education constitutional amendment.
McLeod: The Speaker wants to adjourn debate, and whatever the Speaker wants, I want.

Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler and Senate Republican Sens. Hugh Leatherman, Thomas Alexander, Paul Campbell, Jake Knotts, Larry Martin and Billy O’Dell issued a statement late Tuesday night asking for Gov. Mark Sanford to resign in the wake of his rapidly expanding sex scandal.

Crisis requires people in leadership positions to act decisively, with as much dispassionate wisdom and judgment as possible.Governor Sanford has imposed a crisis upon our state. As members of the Senate, we have a duty to the people of South Carolina to do what is in their best interests.

We therefore have concluded that Governor Mark Sanford must resign his office. He has lost the trust of the people and the legislature to lead our state through historically difficult times.

South Carolina has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Tens of thousands of South Carolinians cannot find jobs.

Necessary budget cuts have weakened public education and other vital services.

We must have strong leadership from a Governor who is focused and trusted.

Governor Sanford is neither.

We did not reach this conclusion in haste and we did not base it on his personal failings, but events since his news conference have forced us to act.

The recent revelation that he used taxpayer money to visit Argentina demonstrates that our state crisis will not recede while he is in office.

His own Commerce Department acknowledges the Governor requested additional economic development meetings in Argentina while on a legitimate trade mission to South America.

The Governor, through his spokesmen, deceived the media and public about where he was and what he was doing for several days.

He abandoned his office and the people who elected him with a premeditated cover-up, launching a constitutional crisis that was dangerous and reckless.

These disclosures indicate a pattern of abuse of office. Most disturbing is our belief that the Governor only admitted to these transgressions after he was caught.

The Governor’s family crisis is private and tragic. But the crisis the Governor imposed by his abuse of office is the people’s business and must come to an end.

We can only put this crisis behind us if he does the honorable thing and resign immediately.

The bottom line is that the Governor’s private matters should remain private, but his deception and negligence make it impossible for us to trust him, and for him to govern in the future.

Not only does this statement have the backing of the GOP leader (who pulls double duty as Medical Affairs Committee chairman), but four other committee chairmen (Leatherman – Finance, Alexander – General, Knotts – Invitation, Martin – Rules). Earlier in the day, fellow GOP Sens. Larry Grooms and Kevin Bryant also said Sanford should resign.

Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler joined the group of Republican senators on Tuesday requesting that Gov. Mark Sanford remove himself from office, with the latest self-immolation the Governor has committed in the press.

According to a story hitting the wire just after 9 p.m., “South Carolina’s Senate Republican Party leader is calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to resign. Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler of Gaffney said Tuesday’s revelations from the governor about his own affair raise doubts about Sanford’s ability to lead the state.”

Shortly after Peeler’s statement went out, Sen. Hugh Leatherman, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, also said the Governor should pack it up and go home to Sullivan’s Island (or wherever home is these days). According to a tweet from Senate Republican Caucus director Wesley Donehue, Sens. Paul Campbell, Billy O’Dell and Thomas Alexander are joining the chorus for Sanford to step down, as well.

Earlier in the day, Sanford allies Sens. Larry Grooms, Kevin Bryant and Larry Martin each said the Governor should resign in order for the state to move forward and not have the Governor’s mistakes in his personal life cause more of a problem for the people’s business.

Rep. Eric Bedingfield, another legislator close to Sanford, tweeted Tuesday night that he will officially call for the Governor to resign on Wednesday.

Action hasn’t been static on the other side of the aisle, either. Joining his Democratic colleague in the Senate, Sen. Vince Sheheen, Rep. Anton Gunn said on Facebook, “Mark Sanford clearly is not rational anymore. Time for him to go. This is a repetitive pattern of behavior from many of our statewide leaders.”