Sine Die 2006
Update on Eminent Domain
For the time being, the Eminent Domain legislation has stalled in conference committee. However the legislature is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 to take up budget vetoes and at that time we believe the Eminent Domain Legislation will be discussed by the conference committee again. The conference committee is using the House approved bill, H.4503 as the vehicle.
Property tax reform plan, H.4449 the Senate and House both agreed to a plan that would increase the state sales tax from 5% to 6% and the revenue generated would pay for school operating taxes on homes. Any additional revenues would be used to help state spending on schools in twenty districts and provide relief on county operating taxes. Also, a constitutional amendment passed that limits how much a home’s taxable value could increase to fifteen percent every five years. State residents will vote on this in the fall.
A controversial bill became law without the Governor's signature, S.1205 that will keep counties from further regulating poultry operations. The bill did not take cities ability to regulate poultry farms away. Now, only DHEC will regulate poultry farms outside cities. The bill will also nullify stricter poultry ordinances in some counties that have adopted them.
S.1035, Richardson, and H.4427, Cato, Worker’s Compensation Reform. The House has passed H.4427 and business leaders are concerned with the current bill because it lacks meaningful reform. Attempts to restore AMA guidelines, which would have resulted in lower rates for business failed. Both bills stalled in Senate Subcommittee.
S.1038, Martin, enacts the “Asbestos and Silica Victims Protection Act of 2006”, the bill would prohibit a person from making an asbestos or silica claim without first showing that a qualified physician has diagnosed the asbestos-related or silica-related disease. S.1163, Sheheen, is a bill that will enact the “Successor Asbestos-Related Liability Fairness Act” that will limit successor asbestos-related liabilities of a corporation. Great News for the mining industry, both bills passed, were ratified and signed by the Governor!
H.3285, Harrison, is a bill that provides appeals from the ALJ involving DHEC may be appealed to the Court of Appeals. The bill streamlines the appeal process cutting out a second opportunity for the DHEC board to review action on permits. The bill passed both bodies and was enrolled for ratification.
If you have any questions please contact the Association Office at 800.438.7106 or 803.772.5354.
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South Carolina Named Most Business-Friendly State
South Carolina has been named the most business-friendly state in the nation by a Chicago-based company that specializes in corporate site relocations. Pollina Corporate Real Estate Inc., a full service brokerage and consulting firm that has advised Fortune 500 companies and start-up ventures alike, recently released its second annual Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States Study, which ranks states based on such factors as taxes, human resources, right-to-work legislation, energy costs, and infrastructure spending. SC was ranked first with a score of 310. Virginia followed closely at 307.