After being on furlough for a week, the House was back in session last week.
I was privileged to participate in the release of thousands of hatchery-grown flounder at the Murrells Inlet Boat Ramp. I appreciate the efforts of the SC Dept. of Natural Resources to establish the first flounder stock enhancement program along the Atlantic Coast. The release represents the culmination of four years of pioneering research by SCDNR scientists.
Last week the House unanimously passed the SC Boat Tax Act I cosponsored, which will cut property taxes on boats nearly in half, eliminate double taxation on boat motors, and simplify the process into one easy payment. This was very much needed as SC has one of the highest tax rates on boats in the nation. The bill has been sent to Gov. McMaster for his signature.
Situations exist where hospital emergency rooms are sometimes overwhelmed with patients who need immediate care, but there are no ER beds available, so hospitals do the best they can by utilizing beds in hallways and other spaces. This violates SC Dept. of Public Health regulations and hospitals have been fined because they were trying to do the right thing in treating these patients. A bill I sponsored, H.5164, to allow hospitals to use emergency beds in spaces like hallways unanimously passed the House on Thursday.
Another important step forward was the passage of H.4799, a common sense cleanup bill that cuts red tape and improves access to care for our veterans. This legislation removes unnecessary regulatory barriers by exempting veterans homes from the Certificate of Need process, allowing badly needed facilities to be built and expanded more quickly and at a lower cost.
In subcommittee, we also advanced the Pregnancy Care Tax Credit Act, which takes a new approach to supporting women, children, and families. Instead of growing government, this bill encourages private donations to pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, and programs that support victims of human trafficking. In return, donors can receive a state tax credit of up to 50 percent of their liability. These organizations provide critical services like prenatal care, parenting support, and housing, and the bill ensures accountability by requiring that the majority of funding goes directly to services.
Protecting our children remains a top priority. Last week, we advanced the Stop Harm from Addictive Social Media Act out of the Judiciary Committee, which takes aim at the addictive features that keep kids glued to their screens. The bill addresses issues like doom scrolling, autoplay videos, and late-night notifications, while also giving parents more control through tools like screen time limits and the ability to disable algorithm-driven content.
We also made significant progress on public safety initiatives. The K9 Officer and Horse Protection Bill, which I cosponsored, strengthens penalties for those who harm or kill law enforcement animals. These highly trained K9 officers are vital members of law enforcement teams, and this bill ensures that the law reflects both their value and their service. The bill moved forward out of the Judiciary Committee.
I’m honored to represent District 108 in the House. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Rep. Lee Hewitt