Here we give you the best of the rest, the bills that were noteworthy, but didn’t have other bills that were interesting enough to pair up with. There’s a little bit of everything in here.

Including snakes. And alligators. And God-knows-what-all that Rep. Herb Kirsh is introducing a bill regarding. It’s pretty much developing a full realm of regulation involving reptiles that’ll kill you as soon as hiss, growl, rattle, or just sneak up and bite your ass off.

H. 4218: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING CHAPTER 17 TO TITLE 50 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION OF VENOMOUS REPTILES, CONSTRICTING SNAKES, AND CROCODILIANS, INCLUDING SPECIFICATIONS FOR HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION ENCLOSURES, WRITTEN BITE, SAFETY, AND ESCAPE PROTOCOLS; LAW ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES; REQUIREMENTS TO DETERMINE IF A REPTILE IS REGULATED UNDER THIS CHAPTER AND FOR MAKING FINAL DISPOSITIONS OF THESE REPTILES; ACTIVITIES NOT SUBJECT TO REGULATION UNDER THIS CHAPTER; CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; AND TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN CONDUCT CONSTITUTES RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AND SUBJECTS VIOLATORS TO PUNITIVE DAMAGES IN CIVIL ACTIONS.

It always seemed as though the lieutenant governor’s office didn’t need term limits. Anyone who stays in that office past two terms either has a screw loose, or must be taking some sweet kick-back deals. That’s not stopping Rep. Tim Scott, though, who wants to limit the occupant to two consecutive terms.

H. 4182: A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE IV OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF STATE GOVERNMENT, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE PERSON ELECTED LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN THE GENERAL ELECTION OF 2014, NO PERSON MAY BE ELECTED LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR MORE THAN TWO SUCCESSIVE TERMS.

And, we’re back again at common-law marriage. Why we’re still having to deal with this in the 21st century doesn’t seem to make sense, but Rep. Grady Brown is ready to go.

H. 4201: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 20-1-110 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT COMMON LAW MARRIAGE IN THIS STATE MAY NOT BE RECOGNIZED AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2010, AND TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION FOR A COMMON LAW MARRIAGE EXISTING AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2010; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 20-1-360 RELATING TO THE VALIDITY OF A MARRIAGE CONTRACTED WITHOUT THE ISSUANCE OF A LICENSE.

Remember the reforms passed by the General Assembly during the extended session regarding the Employment Security Commission? Ah, well, it still needs enabling legislation. Its chief sponsor is House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham, accompanied by Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell and Reps. Harry Cato, Dan Cooper, Jeff Duncan, Jim Harrison, Leon Howard, Phil Owens, Brian White, Annette Young, Harry Ott and Gilda Cobb-Hunter.

H. 4203: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE “EMPLOYMENT SECURITY FUNDING AND REFORM ACT”.

Rounding it out is Rep. Bakari Sellers, who put in legislation that does a bit of restructuring in how the state administers education. Let’s see — it starts out by requiring that the high school graduation rate be tallied by race or ethnicity, and released by September of each year, then to eliminate the Education Oversight Committee, by taking out the EOC and moving its responsibilities into the state Department of Education. Anybody that loves strike-throughs will be exited by the text of this bill.

H. 4197: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-505 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO RELEASE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE DATA BASED ON RACE OR ETHNICITY BY SEPTEMBER FIRST OF EACH YEAR; TO AMEND SECTIONS 59-1-450, 59-1-452, AS AMENDED, 59-1-453, 59-6-10, 59-16-70, 59-18-120, AS AMENDED, 59-18-310, AS AMENDED, 59-18-320, AS AMENDED, 59-18-350, AS AMENDED, 59-18-900, AS AMENDED, 50-18-920, AS AMENDED, 59-18-950, 59-18-1500, AS AMENDED, 59-18-1510, AS AMENDED, 59-18-1530, AS AMENDED, 59-18-1540, AS AMENDED, 59-18-1570, AS AMENDED, 59-18-1590, AS AMENDED, 59-18-1700, AS AMENDED, 59-18-1930, AS AMENDED, 59-21-440, 59-21-600, 59-21-1210, 59-24-65, 59-26-20, AS AMENDED, 59-28-150, 59-28-190, 59-28-200, AS AMENDED, 59-28-210, 59-29-170, 59-29-220, 59-40-70, AS AMENDED, 59-40-230, 59-50-20, AS AMENDED, 59-59-170, 59-63-65, 59-139-10, 59-139-40, 59-139-60, AND 59-150-325, ALL RELATING TO THE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, TO CHANGE CERTAIN REFERENCES FROM THE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, OR THE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, AND TO DELETE CERTAIN REFERENCES TO THE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE; TO REPEAL SECTIONS 59-6-15, 59-6-16, 59-6-17, 59-6-20, 59-6-30, 59-6-100, AND 59-6-110 ALL RELATING TO THE BUSINESS EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP AND EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MONITORING; TO REPEAL SECTION 59-21-1220 RELATING TO THE CAMPUS INCENTIVE PROGRAM; TO REPEAL SECTIONS 59-24-100 AND 59-24-110 BOTH RELATING TO THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM; TO REPEAL SECTION 59-28-220 RELATING TO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EMPLOYER TAX CREDIT INCENTIVES; TO REPEAL SECTION 59-139-50 RELATING TO A PLAN FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 59-141-10 RELATING TO NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS.

Have a mobile phone? Of course you do. You probably yak on it and text your pals and do whatever you need to do on it, all day, all the time. In the prefiled bills, there are plenty that deal with your ability to use your phone in the car, or at a prison.

We’ll start of with the transportation bills. The first one comes from Rep. Don Bowen, and is going to hit pretty hard on females aged 16-28.

H. 4189: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-3890 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DRIVE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE TEXT MESSAGING, TEXTING, RECEIVING, OR READING TEXT MESSAGES OR PRINTED READING MATERIALS, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY.

Please, please, please — we hate text messaging when people are not traveling at more than 35mph, much less while behind wheel. The General Assembly shouldn’t have to pass a law to make you put the thing away. Joining Bowen in Rep. Bakari Sellers, who reminds you to not talk on your phone, either.

H. 4190: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-3890 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO USE A HANDHELD WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE WHILE DRIVING A MOTOR VEHICLE AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR VIOLATING THIS PROVISION; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO THE SCHEDULE OF POINTS ASSIGNED TO VARIOUS TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT USING A HANDHELD WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE WHILE DRIVING IS A TWO POINT VIOLATION.

Don’t think that the law is the only thing you may have to worry about when you whip out your celly for the latest important call. You can now be held civilly liable, if a bill proposed by Rep. Garry Smith goes through.

H. 4206: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 15-1-305 SO AS TO ALLOW THE INTRODUCTION OF EVIDENCE IN A CIVIL ACTION OF THE USE OF A CELL PHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC HANDHELD COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE AT THE TIME OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS.

In the past few months, there’s been quite a bit of hullabaloo about mobile phones in prison. Some law enforcement agencies are using jamming towers to make sure that inmates can’t use them, and the use of such towers has been debated in court. Rep. Herb Kirsh is putting in legislation to make it illegal for an inmate to have a phone, or to give a phone to a prisoner.

H. 4191: A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 24-3-955 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO POSSESS A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE ON THE PREMISES OF A DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FACILITY UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND TO GIVE OR SELL A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE OR ITS COMPONENTS TO AN INMATE OR TO A PERSON FOR DELIVERY TO AN INMATE, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS SECTION.

One of the benefits of watching an important bill get debated in the House is the inevitable speeches by Rep. Ken Kennedy at the podium. Thursday’s debate over Democratic representation on the TRAC commission was no exception.

• This place is so polarized, it’s unbelievable. You know, I watch television constantly, from CNN to MSNBC to…I don’t watch Fox because I think those people are crazy. I think Fox News is crazy. They shouldn’t allow Fox News to be on television.
• North Carolina saw the light. North Carolina turned blue. Right now, nationally, the Republican Party is from the Southern states. Nationally, they have lost their hoopsa. Hoopspah. I think that is a Jewish word, isn’t it? What is it? Husspah? Chutzpah? Is that right, Mr. Kirsh? Chutzpah? Yeah, OK.
• Ms. Allison, you know that it’s right to give us a place on this commission. You know that’s the right thing to do. But, you’re not afraid, because that seat that you run in, up in Greenville, you win it all the time. In fact, you just let Mr. Mahaffey use it for two years, while you were up here doing other things, then once you got finished doing what you were doing, you told him he had to leave. So, he left. You know, I love you, but I thought that you should have let Mr. Mahaffey serve at least another two years.
• I also realize that a lot of us in these Southern states are still fighting the Civil War. Let it go! Let that war go. Let it be bygones. My God! That war is over with, 200 years ago. Let’s come into the 21st Century and let’s do things together.

TUESDAY
Last Tuesday, Rep. Herb Kirsh introduced a bill to establish a coyote trapping season from Thanksgiving Day through March 1 of the following year. Not to be outdone, Rep. Jimmy Bales put forth a bill on Tuesday of this week outlining a comprehensive number of regulations and amendments relating to the trapping of coyotes, which Wolfe Reports did not know existed in the Palmetto State.

Bales’ bill does a number of things, including:

• Exempts kids under 16 who have passed a trapping course from state licensing requirements
• Defines a coyote as a “furbearing animal”
• Allows a trapper to visit a trap at night
• Permits baited and scented body-gripping traps
• Exempts Native Americans from needing a fur possessor’s license
• Allows trapping season to exceed 61 days

Both bills have been referred to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.

Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter introduced a resolution, which was adopted, to express the sorrow of the House on the passing of South Carolina native Eartha Kitt.

Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell, among others, introduced a bill to ensure the General Assembly adjourned on the first Thursday in May instead of the first Thursday in June.

Rep. Jim Harrison introduced a bill regarding beer keg registration requirements, so as to define “keg.” When the bill was read for the first time, Harrell, chuckling, referred it to the House Judiciary Committee. An unidentified legislator then remarked, “That’s a good place for it.”

Rep. Grady Brown once again plugged his DJ gig at Rust. To be sure, Wolfe Reports will be on hand Feb. 10 for the next platter spinning at the Vista establishment.

“Once again, I would like to remind you, tonight from 7 to 11, we’re going to be at Rust in the Vista, right behind the Motor Supply. We’ll be there from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m,” Brown said. “My son Chip and I are going to be playing beach music, rhythm and blues. If you like good music, like to dance — they have libations and hors d’oeuvres — come on by. It’s called Rust. R-U-S-T, right behind the Motor Supply, which is down Gervais, that way, just a little bit. It’s in the Vista, Gervais Street, Whit-Ash is on the right, if you look across the street from Whit-Ash, it’s in the back. Rust.”

Sen. Phil Leventis introduced a bill to establish early voting centers and to allow a registered voter in a county to vote outside their precinct for early voting.

Sen. Mick Mulvaney, and others, introduced a bill to phase out the state corporate income tax over 10 years.

On the motion of Sen. Larry Martin, Sen. Glenn McConnell‘s bill on spending caps was carried over.

WEDNESDAY
Rep. Jeff Duncan invited members of the General Assembly to play a pickup game of basketball at the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center in anticipation of a game against North Carolina legislators.

“I have talked with the North Carolina legislature, and we are working on some dates to have a game, for them to come down to South Carolina and play,” he said. “It builds good interstate camaraderie, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Speaker Pro Tem Harry Cato, who was presiding on the day, said, “Thank you, Mr, Duncan. You’re right — it’s a lot of fun, but some of us are a little too old to do that now.”

The payday lending bill, chief sponsored by Harrell, was reported favorably out of committee and ordered for consideration on Thursday. The next day, the bill was put on the contested calendar.

Sen. Shane Martin introduced a bill to make it legal to bring a firearm onto school grounds and into establishments that sell alcohol as long as the person has a valid concealed carry permit.

“I’m not trying to bring firearms inside the school,” Martin said to The Herald-Journal. “You don’t need to carry it inside the school. But I’ve had teachers tell me they can’t exercise their rights traveling to and from school. They ought to be able to travel to school without having to leave their weapon.”

THURSDAY
House Ways and Means chairman Dan Cooper announced the meeting of the full Ways and Means Committee.

“I just wanted to let you know that the full Ways and Means Committee will meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday to begin taking up the budget,” he said. “So, that means all you committee members — Ms. Cobb-Hunter — need to be here at 9:45 Tuesday morning. Not just you [looking at the former House Minority Leader], everybody else on the committee too. The rest of you are welcome to come sit in.”

As his bill on election ballot reform was read, Rep. Alan Clemmons asked that the bill be delayed 24 hours on a point of order.

Referring to the resolution inviting the American Legion national commander to speak to a joint assembly, Harrison said, “Mr. Speaker, could I amend the motion to say that if you vote green and if you’re not present for the speech, you lose your per diem for that day?” Laughter ensued.