This week, the House Ways and Means Committee I serve on worked diligently to craft a 2021-2022 state budget. The committee unanimously passed a conservative budget bill that will likely hit the House floor the week of March 22nd for debate. We took into consideration the recommendations made in Gov. McMaster’s executive budget that focus on COVID relief, pay raises for law enforcement and rebuilding our state’s reserve fund.
The budget bill recognizes the uncertainties caused by the pandemic. It also invests millions of dollars in K-12 education and our state’s struggling hospitality industry to recover from devastating COVID impacts.
On Wednesday, I presented the bill I cosponsored to address the sustainability of our important flounder fishery, H. 3957, to the House Wildlife Subcommittee. The bill is an effort to rebuild the depleted flounder stock, while keeping the fishery open year-round. It reduces the daily bag limit to five fish per person (ten per boat) and creates a slot size limit of 16 to 20 inches with an allowance for one “trophy fish” over 20 inches per person (two per boat maximum).
The bill was passed out of the subcommittee with a favorable report and now heads to the full House Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environmental Affairs Committee for consideration.
This week, the Governor announced that starting this Monday, March 8th, the following groups may schedule an appointment to receive their COVID vaccine:
*Anyone over the age of 55.
*People 16 and over who have a high-risk medical condition.
*Teachers, store clerks, law enforcement and other frontline jobs that put an individual within 6 ft of other people for more than 15 minutes.
Click here to locate a vaccine provider.
As of March 4th, over 995,309 doses of the COVID vaccination have been given in South Carolina. This is due to the hard work and sacrifice made by volunteers, medical professionals, the National Guard, and many other folks in our state. I’m proud and thankful for the progress we continue to make and the fellowship our state has shown during these tough times.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to represent District 108 in the House. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Rep. Lee Hewitt