In Columbia, South Carolina, the state’s Republican Senate leaders are considering tackling some big issues like tax reform, which have been difficult to address for years. This comes after the election of 13 new senators — nine Republicans and four Democrats — who met at the State House on Wednesday for introductions and to get assigned to committees. The legislative session won’t start for another 40 days.
When the session does begin, Republican Majority Leader Shane Massey plans to push for a bill allowing parents to use public funds for private schools, revising a law the state Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional earlier this year.
He also wants the Senate, which now has a strong 34-12 Republican majority, to look at rewriting South Carolina’s energy policy to ensure the state has enough power to meet its growing needs.
Other issues up for discussion include addressing the problems with fentanyl, retail theft, and rising insurance rates. Many senators believe that the state’s liability laws need reform, as they don’t currently separate different levels of responsibility.
With the new senators, there is a chance to tackle long-debated issues like overhauling the tax system, retirement plans, and the civil lawsuit system. Massey believes these changes are possible due to the new mix of personalities in the Senate.
The meeting on Wednesday was mostly for introductions and setting up the session, which starts on January 14. There was one significant rule change, allowing the Senate President and Majority Leader to sponsor a resolution to remove a committee chairman, if needed.
This change responds to concerns about how some chairpersons have managed their committees in the past.
Massey stated that he doesn’t expect the rule to be used but wants to ensure that committees are doing their work effectively and that the majority can pass legislation smoothly.