Legislative week: Rocky ending, sequel to come

The rocky ending to the state legislative session may just be the beginning of an interesting late spring. The final few days of the session stirred up a variety of emotions including frustration in the Senate from Lexington county senator Jake Knotts. “I told y’all, shortening the session was not a good thing for the people of South Carolina, because it shortens what you can get done.”2legiswrap-may-22nd3
Indignation was displayed in the House by Williamsburg Representative Ken Kennedy. ” I know I’m not going to get it passed. So why lose my time going and drawing up the amendment, when I can lose your time talking about why you guys want allow me to do what I want to do.”
Some important votes were taken including the House and Senate overriding several of Governor Sanford’s budget vetoes including the ones dealing directly with the use of stimulus money the Governor refused to apply for, which led to the Governor Suing the state of South Carolina.
“Do you now want to have individual legislative bodies, in essence, be given the power to undo a federal law.”
Governor Sanford’s comments brought forth more frustration from Senator Knotts. “The only thing I’ve got to say is we’ve got 616 days left of him.”
Sumter Senator Phil Leventis chose to wax philosophical about the whole situation. “I have a legion of bills that didn’t pass. I have a legion of bills may be not as big, that did. The point is it is presumptuous indeed to believe that because a bill is on the calendar that it deserves passage or even debate.”
The House and Senate did agree to a compromise that restricts the payday lending industry, while the cigarette tax bill bogged down in the Senate.
Incidentally, state legislators also agreed to return to work overtime the week of June 16th.
Stay tuned.