Harvey Peeler

Please see below for my latest legislative update. As always, please let me know if there is anything I can ever do for you, and be sure to visit my Facebook page.

Thank you,

Harvey Peeler

SC Senate Majority leader

We’re at the end of the third week of considering the budget in the Senate, deliberating about how best to serve South Carolina’s taxpayers. Some have criticized senators for taking time on the state’s appropriations bill, but it is important to know precisely what we are voting on so the state government doesn’t spend money on things that it shouldn’t.

When legislation is passed too quickly, we can end up with poor laws and bad government. You only have to look at what happened when the Democrats controlled Congress and passed Obamacare. People were voting for the bill without even knowing what was in it. You demand more from your legislators than that, and we’re working to live up to your expectations.

Wednesday, after the budget passed on second reading — the third and final vote should occur in the coming week — we passed the conference committee report on the voter ID bill, sending it to Gov. Nikki Haley to be signed. We’ve been working for years to get this legislation passed, and soon South Carolina’s elections will be among the safest and most secure in the nation.

After passing voter ID, the Senate unanimously approved an unemployment tax reform bill that adds up to a $100 million tax break for South Carolina companies. One of the top priorities for Senate Republicans is to get our state’s economy moving again. With this tax break, state companies can put that money into growing business and creating new jobs.

Another jobs-creation bill, one to institute comprehensive tort reform, is next in line after the budget passes on third reading. It’s been a privilege of mine to craft one of the Senate tort reform bills and lead the fight to pass it. Then we can hang up our “open for business” sign and put South Carolinians back to work.

Tort-reform legislation was debated last week, and we will resume debate and expect to pass the bill before the end of the session. Between 2007 and 2010, our state languished in state rankings for its business-friendly civil justice climate. This must improve if we are to move forward into prosperity.

One final bit of good news from the week is that I was named the Republican legislator of the year by the South Carolina Republican Party for my work on the voter ID and spending transparency bills. It is always nice to be recognized for hard work, but I’m more excited that needed conservative reforms passed in South Carolina.

A lot of work has been done, and common-sense conservative reforms are becoming law. But we’re not at the end of the road yet. I want to know your thoughts as we move toward the end of this year’s legislative session. Please contact me at harvey@harveypeeler.com or visit my website at www.harveypeeler.com. My Columbia Senate office number is 803.212.6430.