2014 State Legislative Scorecard

Introduction The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce is committed to keeping our region competitive and improving the business climate. Through the legislative process, the Chamber works on behalf of its members to advocate for policies that contribute to the growth and prosperity of Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. The Chamber’s legislative agenda is set each year by the Business Advocacy Committee – a group of members representing a cross section of the Chamber’s membership. The agenda is adopted by the Chamber’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

This year we focused on the following issues at the statehouse: Economic Development and Innovation Military Base Retention and Expansion Talent Development and Retention Transportation and Infrastructure The Chamber’s Business Advocacy Division experienced successful passage of several items and continues to work on unfinished business and pending legislation in preparation for the 2015 legislative session. For more information on the 2014 Legislative Agenda, or to view the Business Advocacy Guiding Principles, visit billtheblog.com and/or charlestonchamber.net.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

1

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION

2

MILITARY BASE RETENTION AND EXPANSION

3

TALENT

4

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

6

NEW STAFF LOBBYIST

7

LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD

8

H.4702 H.3512

S.825

H.4632 S.940 S.535

S.1085 H.3412

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION Regional House Members on Ways and Means: Chip Limehouse Jim Merrill Leon Stavrinakis

4 611 - 2 0 1

Regional Senate Members on Education Committee: Ray Cleary Larry Grooms John Matthews Clementa Pinckney Paul Thurmond

Sign

ed

• Support creation of Aeronautical Enterprise Campus at Trident Technical College to expand the aerospace industry cluster in South Carolina.

The SC General Assembly approved $10 million in funding for the $79 million training campus. Charleston County Council has approved $18,750,000 and the City of North Charleston $1 million. Trident Technical College will be seeking additional funding from the General Assembly in 2015.

The 215,000-square-foot training hub would provide training in aircraft assembly, aircraft maintenance and avionics. It also would expand the two-year college’s aeronautical curriculum. Trident Tech currently offers four airplane-related degrees or certificate tracks - aircraft maintenance technology, aircraft assembly technology, avionics maintenance technology and basic industrial work skills. All of the programs are operating at capacity with waiting lists for students to enter the programs. The recent announcement that Boeing will bring all of the assembly work for the 787-10 to North Charleston and the growing aeronautics cluster in South Carolina, the training campus is urgently needed to provide the needed skilled workforce.

The college’s new facility is planned to be housed on part of 25 acres adjacent to its main campus on Rivers Avenue.

H.3512

Key Legislators for H.3512: Sean Bennett

• Stone Brewery legislation 64 2 - 201

2

H.4702

Sign

ed

During the latter portion of the 2014 Legislative Session, the General Assembly was successful in passing H.3512, the Stone Brewery legislation. Signed into law by Governor Nikki Haley on August 13, the legislation allows South Carolina breweries to serve both food and the alcohol that they produce in the same establishment.This new law will help promote economic development and the job creation with regards to the brewery industry.

S.825

MILITARY BASE RETENTION AND EXPANSION

• L obby for exemption of property tax collection on privatized housing located on federal military facilities.

The Department of Defense contracted with a number of housing developers to re-build military housing on military facilities across the United States. The privatized housing bill S.825 would prevent local government from levying local property taxes on the housing structures. South Carolina would be the 22nd state in the country to implement the law.

The bill was amended in House Ways and Means to add a number of additional measures to support military and their families including:

Regional Members on Senate Finance Committee: Paul Campbell Ray Cleary Larry Grooms John Matthews Clementa Pinckney Regional House Members on Ways and Means: Chip Limehouse Jim Merrill Leon Stavrinakis

-M edicaid waivers to provide any family member who maintains residency in South Carolina and is eligible for Medicaid would continue to be eligible regardless of where the military member is stationed.

Regional Members on the Conference Committee for S.825: Chip Limehouse

- To set up a task force to study how to enhance communications and support among child welfare agencies for military-connected children.

Key Legislators for S.825: Jim Merrill Chip Limehouse

- To direct the State Board of Education to annually publish a report concerning the performance of military-connected children who attend primary, elementary, middle, and high schools in this State.

614 23 - 20

The bill and all the amendments were supported by the SC State Military Task Force. Passage is important to demonstrate support of the military and military families to the Department of Defense to help the state maintain and grow South Carolina’s military facilities.

Sign

ed

3

TALENT

H.4632 • Support legislation to create comprehensive research university in the Charleston area between the College of Charleston and the Medical University of South Carolina in order to provide advanced degrees.

Sponsors of H.4632: Leon Stavrinakis Jim Merrill Peter McCoy Joe Daning Chris Murphy Bobby Harrell Regional House Members on Ways and Means: Chip Limehouse Jim Merrill Leon Stavrinakis Regional Senate Members on Education Committee: Ray Cleary Larry Grooms John Matthews Clementa Pinckney Paul Thurmond

H.4632, known as the Charleston University Act, did not pass the General Assembly this session. The bill would have provided the College of Charleston the authority to develop graduate degree programs under the existing Charleston University. After being attached to the Clemson Enterprise Act, the bill died in conference committee when Senate and House conferees could not reach agreement.

A comprehensive Talent Demand Study initiated by the Chamber shows the region will create an additional 25,000 new jobs within the next five years. The study also shows significant skill gaps exist in the region in the areas of IT/ Computer Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing.

Specific higher education degree gaps were also identified.

The College of Charleston has filed a revised mission statement with the SC Commission on Higher Education as a next step. Charleston University Act legislation will be re-filled prior to the 2015 legislative session.

Key Legislators for H.4632: Bobby Harrell Jim Merrill Leon Stavrinakis Paul Campbell Larry Grooms Paul Thurmond

he Senate

nt

Re

r

of

oo

4

House

Fl

presentati

v

es the

I

n

O

TALENT

S.940 • Support legislation providing the counties the flexibility for the renewal of education capital improvement bond referendums.

Regional Members on Senate Finance Committee: Paul Campbell Ray Cleary Larry Grooms John Matthews Clementa Pinckney

The Chamber was successful in helping lobby for S.940 which allows Charleston County School District the opportunity to ask voters in November 2014 to extend the current one cent sales tax for school renovations and construction. In July the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors agreed that the Chamber will run the 2014 Yes 4 Schools Campaign.

614 24 - 20

Regional House Members on Ways and Means: Chip Limehouse Jim Merrill Leon Stavrinakis

Sign

Key Legislator for S.940: Leon Stavrinakis

ed

S.535 • Inclusion of the Charleston University Act

mit

on

ference Co

m

tee

On Thursday, May 29, House Ways and Means Chairman Brian White and Representative Leon Stavrinakis amended S.535, the Clemson University Enterprise Act, to include the Charleston University Act language. The amended legislation passed in the House. When the Senate declined to confer with the House amendments, a conference committee was established including House Ways and Means Chair Brian White and Representatives Jim Merrill and Representative Gilda-Cobb Hunter as well as Senators Harvey Peeler, Thomas Alexander and Darrell Jackson. After three conference committee meetings, conferees could not reach an agreement and the legislation failed.

In

C

5

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Regional Senate Members on Finance Committee: Paul Campbell Ray Cleary Larry Grooms John Matthews Clementa Pinckney

S.1085

• Amend legal parameters regarding local bond referenda for counties to maintain infrastructure sales tax programs that fund local road projects.

The Chamber was successful in helping to lobby for S.1085 which will allow Berkeley County to ask voters in November 2014 to extend the existing one cent sales tax for infrastructure.

64 2 - 201

Regional House Members on Ways and Means: Chip Limehouse Jim Merrill Leon Stavrinakis Key Legislators for S.1085: Larry Grooms Paul Campbell

Sign

ed

H.3412 • Support additional funding to SCDOT and STIB for infrastructure improvements in the region.

Re

presentati

v

es House

of

oo

r

nt

he Senate

Fl

the

I

n

O

6

The SC Department of Transportation estimates there is more than $29 billion needed to repair and address South Carolina’s road and bridge infrastructure. Chamber members consistently point to infrastructure as one of the top priorities and areas of focus for the Chamber. The Chamber’s Infrastructure Visioning Task Force has identified 19 infrastructure priorities for our region.

Despite an intense effort by the South Carolina Alliance to Fix our Roads to pressure the General Assembly to identify a new, dedicated funding stream to address the $29 billion need, the Senate adjourned without discussing the proposed legislation.

Funding for infrastructure will be a top priority for the Chamber in 2015.

George Ramsey Staff Lobbyist

Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Recently, George Ramsey accepted the lobbyist position for the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce moving over from his role as Business Advocacy Director. With the Chamber he helped re-organize the CMCC PAC, was heavily involved with the Developers Council, Infrastructure Visioning Task Force, Business Advocacy Committee and the Environmental Committee. Prior to his time at the Chamber, George spent over 10 years in the government affairs arena as a political operative and legislative aide on the federal and state level.

George holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Clemson University.

Home Town: York, SC College: Clemson University Class of 2000 Major: Political Science Bachelor of Arts

7

po rt Re

S .8

Co 25 nfe ren ce

S .8

2nd 25 Re adi ng

S .1

2nd 085 Re adi ng

po rt Re Co 40 nfe ren ce

S .9

Sean Bennett Paul Campbell Chip Campsen Ray Cleary Larry Grooms Marlon Kimpson John Matthews Yancey McGill Clementa Pinckney Paul Thurmond

S .9

SENATE

2nd 40 Re adi ng

Key: Y – voted with us N – voted against us NV – did not vote NV/A – did not vote excused absence LT.G – McGill could not vote

Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y N

Y NV Y NV Y Y NV / A LT. G Y Y

NV / A Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Y NV Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y NV LT. G Y Y

Y Y NV / A NV Y Y NV Y Y Y NV / A Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y NV NV NV Y Y NV Y NV

Y Y Y Y Y NV Y Y Y Y Y NV / A Y NV Y Y Y Y Y

Y NV / A Y NV Y Y NV Y Y NV / A Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y NV NV Y Y Y NV Y

HOUSE Robert Brown Bill Crosby Joe Daning Wendall Gilliard Stephen Goldfinch Bobby Harrell Jenny Horne Joe Jefferson Patsy Knight Chip Limehouse David Mack Peter McCoy Jim Merrill Chris Murphy Samuel Rivers Mike Sottile Eddie Southard Leon Stavrinakis Seth Whipper

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y NV Y Y Y Y Y NV / A Y Y N Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y NV / A NV / A Y Y Y Y Y Y

H .4

H .3

Co 512 nfe ren ce

H .3

702

Re

po rt Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y NV Y NV Y NV / A Y Y Y Y Y NV

2nd 512 Re adi ng

35 S .5

H .4

632

r

H .3

Sp 412 eci al O rde

H

.3 3rd 412 Re adi ng

Y Y Y Y Y NV / A NV Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y NV /A Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y NV /A Y Y N

Y N N Y Y Y Y N Y Y NV Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y NV Y Y Y Y Y Y Y NV / A Y NV / A Y Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

4500 Leeds Avenue, Suite 100 N. Charleston, SC 29405 843.577.2510 mail@charlestonchamber.org

www.charlestonchamber.net