Statehouse Watch

STATE BUDGET: South Carolina legislators will either be heading to court or overriding an anticipated veto to force Gov. Mark Sanford to request $350 million in federal stimulus cash. During the next couple of weeks, the House and Senate will develop a compromise version of the budget and send it to Sanford, who has a record of issuing hundreds of vetoes and of vetoing the entire budget. Sanford controls about $700 million of the federal stimulus money meant for South Carolina, or $350 million yearly. But Sanford, who has spent months railing against the stimulus law, has spent weeks on TV and writing to newspaper opinion pages explaining his view that money should be used to reduce state debt. It’s an idea the White House has twice rejected. But the budget the Senate sent to the House on Thursday forces the issue. It requires Sanford to “take all action necessary and required by” the stimulus law to secure funds legislators included in their spending plan.

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STATE BUDGET: State lawmakers gave key approval to a $5.7 billion budget Tuesday. The Senate’s second reading came suddenly and on a voice vote after Sanford’s allies spent two hours mulling an alternative plan with deep spending cuts. It also would have raided millions from public school programs. Supporters did all that to generate about $200 million to repay federal loans covering the state’s jobless benefit checks in the hope that Sanford might request the federal cash. But the proposal was tabled with a 30-13 vote, which cleared the way for the Senate to give the budget final approval Wednesday.

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SCHOOL CHOICE: A bill that uses taxpayer money to help South Carolina parents send their children to private schools advanced Wednesday, though a legislative panel voted against it. A Senate subcommittee voted 6-4 to send the bill to the full Education Committee with a negative recommendation. Advocates said the vote shows they’re making progress, though they doubt the bill will go further this year. Similar proposals have died repeatedly since 2004. The latest bill would let parents claim tax credits between roughly $2,400 and $4,900 per student to offset tuition costs. The highest credit would go to parents of disabled students. Parents who homeschool their children can claim $1,000 credits, while businesses and other taxpayers can claim credits by donating to groups that give scholarships to poor children. A competing bill pushed by opponents of using taxpayer money for private education received unanimous approval Wednesday. It would require districts to expand options within public schools.

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SCHOOL JUNK FOOD: A South Carolina bill banning high-sugar, high-fat foods from being sold to students in school cafeterias and vending machines has received key approval. The House approved the measure Thursday. An automatic vote Friday sent it to the Senate. Democratic Rep. Bakari Sellers of Denmark said he hopes giving students healthier choices will help curb the rise of childhood obesity. More than one-third of children ages 10 to 17 in South Carolina are overweight or obese, ranking the state among the five worst nationwide, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health. The bill exempts fundraisers, like bake sales, by students, teachers and parents.

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HANDICAPPED PARKING: A South Carolina bill meant to cut back on the abuse of handicapped parking spaces has advanced. The House approved the bill Thursday. An automatic vote Friday sent the amended bill back to the Senate. The measure requires that the handicapped placards displayed in vehicle windshields include a photo of the person certified to use it. That person must be a passenger or the driver of a vehicle parked in a handicapped space. Bill supporters noted handicapped residents have asked for the measure to discourage healthy people from taking spaces reserved for people who need them.

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UNEMPLOYMENT: South Carolina legislators Wednesday rejected a plan to give Sanford control of the state’s unemployment services agency. It was the second time in a month the House sent the bill back to a committee. This time, the bill creating a Cabinet-level Workforce Department was sidetracked with a 56-54 vote. Given a looming deadline to get bills from the House to Senate, the move means that bill, and one stalled on the Senate calendar, aren’t likely to go anywhere this year. Supporters pushed efforts to move the Employment Security Commission under the Republican governor’s control as the state’s unemployment rate emptied the state’s jobless claims trust fund and Sanford questioned the agency’s management. South Carolina’s 11.4 percent unemployment rate in March was the nation’s third highest.

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SC STIMULUS-JOBS: A bill that offers South Carolina employers an incentive to hire unemployed workers in a state with one of the nation’s worst jobless rates has advanced. The Senate approved the bill Thursday, sending it to the House. The measure would allow employers to claim tax credits of up to $2,400 for hiring unemployed workers. It would credit employers $100 for each month the worker is on the payroll, up to two years. The worker must have collected at least four weeks of unemployment checks before being hired.

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TAX STUDY: A bill designed to overhaul South Carolina’s tax system and get rid of some tax exemptions received approval Thursday, though both Democrats and Republicans acknowledge the weakened bill may prove ineffective. The House approved the measure 67-30. It needs a perfunctory vote before returning to the Senate, which passed its version in February. The bill creates a 17-member, unpaid group to study the state’s tax system and issue a report by March 15, 2010, with recommended changes. The commission can continue to make suggestions before dissolving by Jan. 1, 2011.

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NOVELTY LIGHTER BANS: South Carolina could join other states and cities in banning the sale of toy-like novelty lighters with a bill introduced Wednesday. Sen. Thomas Alexander, R-Walhalla, held up one of the novelty lighters that looked like a camera close to his face and with a flick, a flame shot above his eyebrows. The legislation would impose a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail for convictions. The measure is part of a national drive by firefighters and safety advocates.

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END OF SESSION: South Carolina legislators are working on plans to adjourn a couple of weeks early, but come back in June to deal with issues. The House resolution introduced in the Senate Thursday would end the regular session on May 21 and bring legislators back to their desks on June 16 for up to three days to handle vetoes. After that, legislators could return to Columbia if House and Senate leaders agree anytime between May and January, allowing them to deal with other vetoes and handle issues related to federal stimulus cash or revenue shortfalls.