The House approved and sent to the Senate the following bills of interest:

The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.4548, a bill relating to CATCH LIMIT PROVISIONS FOR STRIPED BASS. This bill provides that in the Lower Santee River-Cooper River systems from June 1 to Sept. 30, it is unlawful to take or possess any striped bass. Also, from Oct. 1 through May 30, it is unlawful to take or possess more than three striped bass per day. The striped bass must be less than 26 inches in total length and must be landed with head and tail fin intact.

Bills that were introduced in the House this week included: EDUCATION AND PUBLIC WORKS: H.4724, SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS. In order to foster the development of a coordinated system of higher education, to improve the quality of education, to extend its benefits, and to encourage an economical use of the state's resources, this legislation redefines the South Carolina system of higher education. Among other things, this bill establishes the South Carolina College and University Board of Regents and provides for its membership, powers, duties, and responsibilities.

H.4732, SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEE PROHIBITIONS. This bill provides that a school district employee may not use district computers, networks, web sites, or email lists that advocate for or against: (1) an election or defeat of a candidate for elective office; (2) a passage or defeat of a referendum question; or (3) a passage or defeat of a matter pending before the local school board, local governing body, General Assembly, or United States Congress. A school district employee violating the provisions of this legislation must be suspended from employment without pay for three months.

JUDICIARY: H.4725, BALLOT STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS. This bill provides that the name of each candidate shall appear no more than once on the ballot. If a candidate has been nominated by multiple parties or petitions, the bill further provides that the name of each party or petition nominating the candidate must be listed under the candidate's name.

H.4736, REVISIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. This bill provides that the department will be headed and governed by a director appointed by the governor upon the advice and consent of the Senate in the manner provided by law.

H.4737, REVISIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. This bill provides that the director must be appointed by the governor instead of the South Carolina Mental Health Commission. Under this bill, the commission is an advisory board.

H.4738, REVISIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS. This bill provides that the department is headed and governed by a director appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.

LABOR, COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY: H.4735, USE OF EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK LICENSES AND EXCESS BROADCAST SPECTRUM CAPACITY. This joint resolution directs the ETV to make all necessary filings with the Federal Communications Commission as soon as practicable to indicate an intention to retain licenses and to form a public/private partnership to complete the necessary transition from an analog to digital system. The State Budget and Control Board is directed to hire a nationally-recognized telecommunications consultant to assist with the development of a request for proposal and an analysis of various business models for the leasing of excess capacity on the spectrum and to provide an estimate of the value of licenses operated by the Educational Television Network.

MEDICAL, MILITARY, PUBLIC AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS: S.970, CONFIDENTIALITY OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE RECORDS. Under current law, if a minor attending public school, has Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or is infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is required to notify the district superintendent and school nurse assigned. This bill deletes this notification provision.

WAYS AND MEANS: H.4743, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS UNDER MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY TAX INCREMENT FINANCING. This bill revises provisions of the Tax Increment Financing Acts for municipalities and counties, so as to provide that redevelopment projects also include affordable housing projects where all or a part of new property tax revenues generated in the tax increment financing district are used to provide or support publicly owned affordable housing in the district or is used to provide infrastructure projects to support such in the district. The legislation repeals the Tax Increment Financing Act for counties found in Chapter 33 of Title 6 of the code of laws.

H.4745, "SOUTH CAROLINA RESIDENTIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ACT." This bill enacts the "South Carolina Residential Improvement District Act," authorizing a county and municipality to create an improvement district comprised of noncontiguous parcels of land and use assessments to fund improvements located outside the boundaries of an improvement district. The legislation authorizes an assessment to be used for the construction and operation of improvements to fund construction and maintenance of infrastructure and improvements related to new development.

Progress on the State Budget: The full House Ways and Means Committee met throughout the week on its proposed STATE GOVERNMENT BUDGET for fiscal year 2008-2009. The committee approved the GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL, and a joint resolution providing for CAPITOL RESERVE FUND APPROPRIATIONS. Highlights of the $7.3 billion proposed state government budget include:

Full funding of the Education Finance Act with $94.5 million, for a base student cost of $2,578.

Teacher salaries are funded at $300 over the Southeastern average.

The school bus replacement cycle is fully funded with $19.7 million; $29 million for school bus operations; and, $1 million for school bus service vehicle replacement.

$3.3 million is included for textbooks.

The Public School Child Development Education Pilot Program is fully funded with $15.8 million.

$1.6 million for full funding of Young Adult Education.

$12 million for summer schools.

The National Board Certification Incentive is fully funded with $2.4 million.

$1.7 million to set the stipend for teacher supplies at $275.

Full funding of the LIFE, HOPE, and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship programs.

$3 million is appropriated to the Center for Accelerated Technology, which works with businesses locating in South Carolina and technical colleges in order to provide training for workers.

$5 million is provided for the Hydrogen Grants program.

$4.5 million for the Light Rail broadband, high-speed optical research network.

A 1% state employee pay increase with $19.9 million.

State Employee Health Insurance Plan increases are funded from projected 2008 surpluses.

$2.9 million is appropriated for the Home and Community Based Services Program which provides meals for senior citizens.

$39 million appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services for Medicaid Maintenance of Effort.

$3 million appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services for rural hospital grants.

$13 million appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services for Institutes for Mental Health Transition.

$4.5 million appropriated to the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs for the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Waiver.

$2.4 million appropriated to the Department of Health and Environmental Control for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

$2 million appropriated to the Department of Health and Environmental Control for the Best Chance Network cancer screenings.

$2 million appropriated to the Department of Health and Environmental Control for the SUPERB Fund.

$7 million is provided for the Closing Fund used by the Department of Commerce in recruiting business and industry.

The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism receives $2 million for the Advertising and Marketing Program and $10 million for Destination Specific Grants.

$1 million appropriated to the Department of Agriculture for the South Carolina Certified Grown initiative.

The Mass Transit Program receives $1.3 million.

The Department of Public Safety receives $5 million for replacement of law enforcement officers and $4.6 million for fleet rotation.

The Department of Corrections receives $2.1 million to operate the Leath facility.

$14.9 million is provided for the elimination of the Tuition Prepayment Program's unfunded liability.

In response to the reduction in revenues available for appropriation, the proposed budget utilizes a portion of Department of Health and Human Services carry forward funds. Agencies, excluding health agencies and funding at the Department of Education for school districts, received a 2.36% base reduction. These base reductions totaled $46.8 million. Targeted reductions, totaling $12.7 million, were also taken in the areas of travel expenses and information technology.

If you have a comment or opinion concerning the matters discussed in this report, or if I may be of assistance to you at any time, please feel free to call your legislative office in Columbia (803-734-3073), office 422A Blatt Building, Columbia, SC 29211; or by e-mail at mossd@scstatehouse.net or my home in Gaffney (864-487-2121); or write 306 Silver Circle, Gaffney, SC 29340. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the House of Representatives.