Coming Up At The Statehouse

When lawmakers return to Columbia on Tuesday, all eyes will be on the state’s Board of Economic Advisors, who will release their latest budget projection numbers.

The House Ways and Means Committee will use the new estimates to build an initial budget for 2009-2010.

A bill in a House subcommittee looks to get some attention. The bill would legalize mixed martial arts in South Carolina and would also allow Ultimate Fighting events to take place in the state.

Senators will look at a bill that would require state employees participating in the state’s healthcare plan to pay an extra $25 into the program if they are considered obese.

Also, late Friday, state Attorney General Henry McMaster released a decision that said the governor does have the authority to fire members of the Employment Security Commission.

The deadline for ESC members to submit data the governor has requested is Feb. 9.

Gov. Sanford has threatened to remove members of the commission by the deadline if he did not get the requested information.

The governor and the ESC have been sparring because the governor wants specific data on just who and where the unemployed are in our state.