I hope you had a great weekend.
Wednesday was Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day at the State House. I was glad to meet with Patty Younts, an Alzheimer’s advocate, who lost her husband to the disease, to talk about Alzheimer’s related issues.
More than 112,500 South Carolinians have this terrible disease, with nearly 224,000 family members and friends providing care for them. About 12 percent of adults over 65 in SC have Alzheimer’s.
Last week at the State House we focused on legislation that improves education, strengthens public safety, and helps families keep more of their hard-earned money.
The Truth in Public School Grading Bill that I cosponsored, passed the House 110 to 2 on Wednesday. This bill would end “grade floors” like the ones in Greenville County that require teachers to award at least a 50 for every assignment even if the student got a zero. These grade floors give students and parents a false sense of academic accomplishment, don’t hold students accountable, and undercut the ability of teachers to push students to actually learn.
Keeping our communities safe remains a top priority. The House passed a juvenile crime reform package focused on holding violent offenders accountable and improving communication between law enforcement, schools, and families. H.5120, helps law enforcement better identify repeat juvenile offenders by requiring fingerprinting, photographs and improved information sharing. H.4151, allows certain 16 and 17-year-olds charged with serious violent crimes to be prosecuted in adult court when appropriate.
Street takeovers are reckless and dangerous events that put lives at risk. The Roadway Protection and Safety Act cracks down on these illegal gatherings and holds participants accountable. The bill passed the House Judiciary Criminal Law Subcommittee last week.
On the House Ways and Means Committee, we voted last Wednesday to advance H.3368, South Carolina’s tax conformity legislation. The bill aligns the state’s tax code with federal provisions so taxpayers can benefit from federal tax relief measures, including provisions from the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” while also simplifying the filing process and preventing unexpected tax increases.
The Insurance Rate Reduction and Policyholder Protection Act advanced in a House Labor, Commerce, and Industry committee last week. This legislation focuses on bringing greater transparency and oversight to insurance rate increases while strengthening protections for policyholders. The goal is to make coverage more affordable and accessible for South Carolina families while ensuring consumers are treated fairly.
I’m honored to represent District 108 in the House. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Rep. Lee Hewitt