What Happened: Weekly Legislative Review- March 23rd to March 26th

Highlights:

·         The Policy Council’s Director of Research, Jameson Taylor, gave House and Senate testimony this week on multiple health care choice bills. For more on the testimony, visit the Policy Council.

·         On Thursday the Senate voted to set H. 3584 – a bill to increase the cigarette tax – for special order. This means that the Senate considers the bill to be a priority.

·         The Senate voted 33-5 to give S. 2 – a bill limiting state appropriations – a second reading. 

The Best of the Week:

·         H. 4200– Revises the definition of an “extraordinary retail establishment” in order to attract a particular business – “Bass Pro Shop” – to the Upstate

o   Status: Recommited to Ways and Means

·         H. 3047– Requiring roll call votes on certain bills and joint resolutions at various stages of passage

o   Status: Received second reading on a roll call vote

·         S. 789 – Requiring universities to maintain online check registers

o   Status: Senate Education Committee submitted a favorable report with amendment and was read across the Senate desk today.

·         S. 1054– Authorizing tax incentives and credits for the retail shopping mall in Jasper County

o   Status: Amended and given second reading