I hope you’re doing well. Here’s my legislative report.
I was glad to participate in Gov. McMaster awarding Frank Rogers the Order of the Palmetto in recognition of a lifetime of extraordinary achievement and service on a national scale.
Frank has a home in Murrells Inlet and is a renowned country music producer, songwriter, and publisher. He has written ten number one hits. His credits include hits by Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Josh Turner, Trace Adkins, Scotty McCreery and Hootie and the Blowfish, among many others. My congratulations to Frank on this well-deserved award and his many accomplishments.
As the legislative session continues winding down, we are seeing major legislation advance, more bills head to the Governor’s desk, continued work on the state budget, and strong momentum on key House priorities.
The House unanimously passed S.831, a major step forward in modernizing South Carolina’s transportation system, reducing traffic congestion, and delivering road projects faster and more efficiently.
As South Carolina continues experiencing rapid growth, this legislation focuses on fixing not just our roads, but the system behind them. This bill cuts costly bureaucratic red tape, streamlines processes within SCDOT, and creates stronger accountability to help projects move from planning to construction much quicker.
The House continued work on the state budget last week after receiving Senate amendments, moving one step closer to delivering $1 billion in tax relief while investing in South Carolina’s core priorities. The House budget remains focused on responsible, conservative budgeting that supports infrastructure, public safety, education, workforce development, and economic growth without expanding government.
The Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act, which I cosponsored, officially passed the Senate last week with amendments and now heads back to the House. This legislation is focused on cutting unnecessary regulations, reducing burdensome government red tape, and making it easier for South Carolina’s small businesses to grow, hire, and succeed.
The Public School Truth in Grading Bill I cosponsored passed both chambers and was sent to the Governor last week. This bill ends “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.
The House also passed the Citizens-Only Voting Constitutional Amendment, which would ensure that only United States citizens can vote in South Carolina elections. As other states like California, Vermont, and Maryland move toward allowing non-citizens to participate in certain local elections, South Carolina is taking action to protect the integrity of our elections and make clear that voting is a right reserved for American citizens only.
Have a good week. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Rep. Lee Hewitt