Last week in the House of Representatives was highlighted by the retirement of Speaker Jay Lucas and the election of our new Speaker, Murrell Smith.
Speaker Lucas has been an outstanding leader for the House and very kind to me with a Majority Whip appointment and assignment to the powerful Ways and Means Committee, for which I’m so grateful.
Speaker-Elect Smith previously served as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He will serve our body with a respectful consensus-building manner and will serve South Carolina in a way we will all be proud of.
The incredibly strong election integrity bill that earned bipartisan support and unanimously passed the House stands to die in the Senate.
This bill had the support of Gov. McMaster and election officials because of the important guardrails it provides for our election system. Essentially, it makes it easier to vote and harder to cheat in South Carolina.
In an effort to get election integrity legislation enacted this year, last week my colleagues and I inserted election reform language into eight different bills that will soon pass the House and go back to the Senate. This gives the Senate eight separate chances to vote YES, in favor of election integrity and reform.
In our Ways and Means Committee meeting, I voted in support of a Senate bill that would create education scholarship accounts for eligible students who would like to attend a private school. These scholarships can be used to pay tuition and other necessary school costs. Most importantly, this bill gives parents more educational choices for their children.
Speaking of education, on Wednesday I met with the Georgetown County School Board at the State House. I appreciate their efforts to improve educational outcomes in the county.
Last month, the House unanimously passed a resolution I sponsored to recognize and declare this Tuesday and Wednesday, May 3-4, as "Palmetto Giving Day" in South Carolina.
The Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation organizes this annual thirty-six hour online giving event that benefits nonprofit organizations in Georgetown County. Many of these organizations have matching donation opportunities during this event that will essentially double your donation.
For more information about Palmetto Giving Day and to make donations please visit PalmettoGiving Day.org.
I hope you have a good week. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Rep. Lee Hewitt