Checkout our NC & SC Legislative Updates for April:
North Carolina Updates
The short session starts May 16th at noon and study commissions, which have been meeting in the interim, are now approving their final reports, recommending bills for consideration in the short session. In an attempt try to adjourn session by June 30th, budget meetings have started several weeks prior to session with very little new spending being budgeted and controversial issues being avoided.  On everyone’s minds are the May 8th primaries and general election.  This year no one is willing to forecast the outcome.
Study Committees Recommendations For Consideration as Bills in the Short Session
  • Transportation Oversight – To authorize the Division to waive the commercial drivers license knowledge and skills test for certain trained and experienced military drivers, as allowed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
  • Unemployment Insurance – Because of problems with a new computer system called “SCUBI” DES is recommending delaying the effective date for a requirement that employers respond to UI claims in 10 days down from 14 days.  The new effective date January 1, 2019
  • Revenue Laws –  For NC not to follow the new federal tax cut law that allows capital asset purchases to be deducted in one year, but remain with a five-year deduction period.
South Carolina Updates

Senate Budget Adopted:

The South Carolina Senate finished up deliberations on their version of the states $8.2 billion budget for South Carolina.  Included in the bill are dollars for the SC Dept. of Commerce for economic development project and funding for the Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop which will help get more employees in the pipeline.  The budget heads back to the house before it will end up in a conference committee for final consideration.

Elections:

Filing ended March 30 for those seeking office from local government, to the US House of Representatives to the Governor of South Carolina.  For all state wide offices (minus the comptroller) and all federal offices every race will be contested.  Those in the 4th district will see an unprecedented race for South Carolina with 19 people on the ballot for the seat being vacated by Representative Trey Gowdy.  At least eight of the 124 members of the SC House of Representatives will not be back as they are not seeking re-election.  Of the 124 members in the house 79 seats will face opposition at either the primary or general election.  More information on candidates can be found at https://www.scvotes.org/.  Primary elections will be June 12, runoff will be June 26th and the General Election is November 6th.

Energy:

Energy issues are continuing to dominate much of the Session on both the House and Senate side.  Both bodies are debating bills that will change how the Public Service Commission can operate and that effects the industry with energy costs.  The sale of SCANA and SANTEE Cooper which effect over half the state are still on the table and being hotly debated.  Solar continues to make inroads as an alternative form of energy hoping to fill the gaps left by the IOU’s.  As large scale users of energy in the state the outcome of the sales and merger could greatly effect the cost of products and service in the industry.

Check back next month for more!