Dear Friends,
Let me begin my Legislative Report with a wish that you and your family are enjoying a fun, relaxing, and safe summer.
This has been an exciting and busy year in the General Assembly. We just finished a two-year session full of victories for conservatives. The House put strong new restrictions on abortion, streamlined our state government, and fought the radical government expansion under Obamacare.
Unfortunately, not all of these victories made it through the Senate, but we are ready to push this legislation through again in 2015.
Here is a sampling of what we achieved this year:
ELECTION REFORMS: We approved legislation that streamlines and updates filing for office. We also approved legislation that consolidates our local election boards and makes them more accountable for their actions.
SAFER COMMUNITIES: We passed legislation that I introduced to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and protected our communities from repeat violent offenders by reforming the state’s bond revocation laws.
EMMA’S LAW: I was a House leader in getting this passed. This law requires repeat DUI offenders to get ignition interlock devices installed in their cars. An interlock device is essentially a breathalyzer test the driver must pass before it will allow the car to start.
GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY: After nearly a decade, we were finally able to create a Department of Administration and put the power of the day-to-day administration of the government into the hands of the Governor. We also allowed voters to decide on whether the Adjutant General should be elected or appointed.
PROTECTING THE UNBORN: The House approved legislation prohibiting abortion after 20 weeks — now one of the strongest laws in the nation.
FIGHTING OBAMACARE: The House successfully fought the expansion of Obamacare in our state.
ENHANCING EDUCATION: We fought to implement our tougher South Carolina education standards and stopped Common Core from being implemented in our state. We also passed legislation to support our local charter schools and ensured more decisions about education are being made by parents and teachers.