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State House Report #5 -
Shannon Erickson - House District 124 The Second Session of the 117th General Assembly |
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I SAW IT – THE SECOND SESSION OF THE 117TH GENERAL ASSEMBLYBy Shannon Erickson, District 124 Representative, S. C. House of Representatives
22 weeks, 124 Representatives, 46 Senators, countless staff, an amazing number of bills filed, and a scarce few actually making it through both Houses and onto the Governor’s desk. It’s very hard to believe that my first session representing the people of House District 124 is almost at an end. I have written updates along the way, shared joys and pains, trials and tribulations. Everyone has been so supportive and receptive to this new legislator’s observations, commentaries, and pleas for assistance.
I am humbled by the honor you have given me in representing YOU in Columbia. The South Carolina House is exactly that…the HOUSE of the people! I promised to hit the ground running and I did that. I promised to be a strong Beaufort voice in Columbia and I have done that as well. I have made myself known to everyone from the Speaker of the House, to the legislative counsel staff, to the college student pages, and everywhere in between. They know who I am and that I represent BEAUFORT! They know how much I value my neighbors, our quality of life, our environment, our military bases, and our rich cultural heritage. They know how much I yearn for a stronger economy and better jobs, for a better educational system, for protection of our natural resources, and safer transportation options and roads.
I joined forces with members of our Beaufort Delegation, such as Representative Bill Herbkersman (Bluffton), and others who have the same passions and ideals, to work on legislation that will positively impact South Carolina and Beaufort. Several pieces of legislation were filed but only a few make it through the arduous process intact.
First and foremost was H. 4400, which deals with illegal immigration reform. Many of you ranked this problem as the most important issue for our area and I heard you. This is a very comprehensive and strong piece of legislation. Some pieces of it include: felony charges for transporting or harboring illegal aliens with the intent to further that person’s illegal entry into the United States or avoiding apprehension; prohibiting “sanctuary cities”; making it unlawful to display or possess a false, fraudulent, or counterfeit green card or other document, such as a driver’s license or social security card, for the purpose of offering proof of United States citizenship or permanent residence; requires every employer participate (in a phased in plan) in the federal e-verify program or verify a worker’s legal status by using a S.C. driver’s license; any company receiving a public contract must employ legal workers; requires the validation of citizenship in order for an individual to be eligible to receive public benefits; loss of eligibility to attend public institutions of higher learning, to receive public higher education benefits such as scholarships, financial aid, grants or resident tuition; directs the chief of SLED to enter into negotiations with federal authorities in order to reach an understanding on: the enforcement of federal immigration laws by State and local law enforcement and the detention of illegal immigrants by State and local law enforcement officials. The SLED chief must also negotiate the removal of detained illegal immigrants by federal authorities or the deportation of illegal immigrants by state and local law enforcement officials; and provides a civil right of action for wrongful termination against an employer who discharges an employee authorized to work in the United States for the purposes of replacing that employee with a person the employer knows or should reasonably know is not lawfully present and authorized to work in the United States.
In addition to the illegal immigration law, I pressed for a small business health care plan, elimination of the PACT test, financial identity protection, DUI reform, and sex-offender residential restrictions. The Small Employer Health Group Cooperative, which establishes requirements, powers, duties, and restrictions for a small employer health group, was formed so that small businesses can join together for group health insurance.
Parents, teachers, and students called, emailed, and faxed me regarding the elimination of the PACT test. As an educator, I understand the impossibilities of this test and the lack of data it has provided to us all over the past several years. This legislation eliminates the PACT and replaces it with a new diagnostic test that will give teachers quicker results and will begin in 2009. Subjects tested for accountability are unchanged (English/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies). The State Board of Education is directed to create a statewide adoption list of formative assessments for grades one through nine in English/language arts and mathematics. The bill also simplifies the student performance levels to Exemplary, Met, and Not Met. The extensive report cards sent to parents will be shortened to an executive summary outlining the major findings and a full, detailed report card will be published on the Internet. At last our teachers will get timely data and our children will receive the instruction they need as a result.
Identity theft is a growing problem in every state and South Carolina is certainly not immune. To assist our citizens with this horrible crime, I supported the “FINANCIAL IDENTITY FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION ACT." Under this new law, a South Carolina consumer may now place a freeze on his credit information, and a reporting agency cannot charge a fee. Local law enforcement must report identity theft if contacted by a suspected victim and SLED is required to maintain an identity theft database. A consumer-reporting agency must remove all false information from a credit report, if the agency receives notice from the consumer to do so and if an agency violates this section, it is liable for damages. All citizens will benefit from this safeguard, but my elderly parents made sure to share with me that they are pleased that their government heard their concerns.
South Carolina had one of the most lenient DUI laws in the nation. Not so, anymore! This new legislation enhances penalties for the DUI by including a new, graduated system of penalties for a first offense and tougher penalties across-the-board. It also requires the DMV to suspend the driver’s license of the convicted for the period of incarceration plus three years when great bodily injury occurs and five years when a death occurs. If a person under the age of 21 refuses to submit to a BAC test, the DMV must suspend the person’s license, or deny the issuance of a license or permit for a period of 6 months for a first offense, and one year for any subsequent offense. This is a large step toward toughening these penalties and I hope to see them deter drinking and driving in South Carolina.
Sex offenders in South Carolina make up a list of approximately 10,000 names, which can be accessed online. I was happy to co-sponsor this new legislation that provides that it is unlawful for sex offenders to reside within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare center, children's recreational facility, park, or public playground. Local law enforcement must notify the person if they are in violation, and they are given 30 days to vacate the residence. In addition, school districts must make certain information available to parents regarding sex offenders that reside within 1,000 feet of a school bus stop. I am proud that we have stricter laws for sex offenders and where they can reside. I will work next year to impose a three-strikes law, so that child molesters convicted three times of that heinous crime are given life in prison. Our children are worth it!
On a personal note, my bill, H. 4758, that deals with student transfers and participation in interscholastic activities (a.k.a. “Lauren’s Law”) has passed both Houses and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. This law will provide that a high school student who is the victim of physical abuse, harassment, or stalking by a classmate during school hours or otherwise resulting in a restraining order being granted against the classmate may transfer with the consent of the student’s school district to another high school within or out of the district within 30 school days of the restraining order being violated, without any loss of eligibility to participate in interscholastic activities at the school to which the student transfers. This bill puts law into place for the High School League who did not find that physical abuse, harassment and stalking were grounds for a hardship waiver for sports eligibility. While this law is not in time to allow Lauren to participate in her senior year of sports, it will protect other students from being victimized twice. I commend Lauren for coming forward, for standing up in front of legislative committees and testifying, and for her selfless push to make sure that does not happen to any other student.
So…I’ve touched on some important pieces of legislation that have passed this session but truthfully have not even scraped the surface. I will have more information on my website www.electshannon.com and hope that you will visit to see what other laws made the cut. Again, I thank you for the trust you have bestowed upon me. It is my honor and privilege to serve all of the citizens of Beaufort County here and in Columbia. Since I was elected in a special election last year to an unexpired term, I will be running for office in the November general election. I humbly ask for your vote once again.
As always, I want to hear from you about your ideas and issues. Please feel free to contact me on my personal cell (843) 263-1867 or by email at shannonerickson@schouse.org .
Thank you & God bless.
Shannon |