118th General Assembly Begins in Columbia

South Carolina lawmakers started the 2009 legislative session at noon Tuesday, facing what veteran lawmakers say will be the toughest year in decades. South Carolina's unemployment rate of 8.4 percent is third-highest in the nation, and economists expect it to keep climbing into double digits this year. The state also has already had to cut nearly $1 billion from the current budget. Instead of deciding how to spend the new money the state will take in during the coming year, lawmakers will have to decide where to make hundreds of millions in additional cuts.

For that reason, House Republicans say their top priority for the coming year will be growing the state's economy. House Speaker Bobby Harrell says that means, "Improving our state's business climate, working to decrease the unemployment rate and increase average incomes, keeping jobs here in South Carolina, helping the private sector to create new higher-paying jobs, stabilizing our budget and tax structure."

The GOP doesn't have specific bills in the works yet. New Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee chairman Bill Sandifer, R-Seneca, will first listen to business leaders to find out what they need. House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham, R-Cayce, says, "He is going to be conducting hearings with small business leaders to identify the unnecessary red tape and regulation that they're going under, hindrances to them growing their business and developing business."

The rest of the House GOP agenda is: Education Funding Reform; Tax Reform; Spending Limits; Improve our Roads and Bridges; the SC Secure Election Act, which would allow early voting to cut down on long lines and would also require a picture ID to vote; and Environment and Energy Independence.

Democratic leaders agree on the need for tax reform and education formula funding reform. Democrats have also filed bills to allow early voting

State senators adopted new rules on the first day of the session to require more recorded roll-call votes on important bills. The Senate will now take recorded votes on all contested spending bills, resolutions to change the Constitution, redrawing district lines, and increasing pay for lawmakers, judges or members of the executive branch. For years, the Senate has taken most votes by senators saying "Aye" or "Nay" in a group, preventing voters from knowing who voted for and against bills.

The House in December also adopted rules to require more recorded votes in its chamber.

The first day of the session was much more subdued than in most years, not simply because of the state's economic problems. House members stood for a moment of silent prayer in memory of the late Rep. Olin Phillips, D-Gaffney, who died in his home of a heart attack December 27th. He had served in the House since 1979. The House also stood in silence in honor of the son of state Rep. Seth Whipper, D-North Charleston. Jasiri Whipper was killed in a traffic accident last month.