“Senate Time” is an online video interaction presented by the SC Senate Republican Caucus Director Wesley Donahue. Here’s this week’s segment.

 

State Senator Kevin Bryant, Ethan Bryant, Bob Jones (president), Susan Smith, Vivian Gaylord 
Sandy Springs Community Park presented S.C. Flag by State Senator Kevin Bryant
March 15, 2009 State Senator Kevin Bryant, along with his son Ethan, presented Sandy Springs Park Association President Bob Jones a new South Carolina State flag for the Sandy Springs Community Park. The park is located on Sandy Springs Road and is a joint venture between the people and businesses surrounding Sandy Springs and Anderson County. The park includes a walking track, shelter and playground equipment and is open to the public year round.

The amendment sponsored by myself,  Sen. Vincent Sheheen (D-Kershaw),  & Sen. Mike Rose (R-Berkeley)  on H. 3352, was adopted today ironically by voice vote. After I revealed that I had 27 commitments, everyone voted aye. I did feel, however, that there is a need for me to have my vote recorded in the  journal on the amendment. This a great day in South Carolina’s teachers, parents, and taxpayers!

H. 3245 increases the required waiting period of patients seeking  and abortion from 1 hour to 24 hours. The time this waiting period begins is when the patient has been offered to view images of the child viaultrasound. Due to my beliefthat life begins at conception, during my time in the Senate I have made every effort to protect the rights and liberty of the unborn. That is why I am supporting legislation that will give mothers a chance to think about the life changing decisions they are making before having an abortion. The essence of the bill states, “No abortion may be performed sooner than twenty-four hours after the woman receives the written materials and certifies this fact to the physician or the physician’s agent.”  Hopefully, the increase in this waiting period will give these patients in very unfortunate situations an opportunity to think about this decision and get input from other sources. It is in these small ways that we can make an effort to preserve life in South Carolina and uphold the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I appreciate your support and encouragement as I fight to preserve the sanctity of life in the Palmetto State.

My friends at the Crisis Preganancy Center in Anderson inform me that when a patient views the ultrasound, 85%choose to carry the child to term. The Anderson CPC does an outstanding job at ministering to these women in desparate situations.

Also, I am in the process of reasearching practical measures to hold the fathers of these children accountable. Currently, the father of unwanted pregnancies are in no way held liable for their actions. Any thoughts you have in this regard, would be welcome.

Dear  

I appreciate your concern for the school funding flexibility resolution currently before the Senate. I have communicated with many people interested in flexibility, and I have assured them that I too support full flexibility for all school funding, and that I hope this become permanent law. I believe every school should spend the taxpayers’ money as they see fit and let the taxpayers hold the school boards accountable for the results. 

I also believe that flexibility demands accountability. True accountability comes in only one form—transparency. Transparency ensures that all teachers and parents and taxpayers know exactly where the funds are going. Teachers deserve to know where the dollars that are not going into their classrooms end up. Some non-instructional spending remains, of course, necessary. Teachers however must enjoy the ability to have an open discussion with their administrators, and their parents, about the priorities decided upon by the school. Teachers deserve to know why some money goes into their classrooms and some money goes elsewhere. The reasons may be sound, and if they are then all will agree. Without transparency, however, the questions go unanswered. 

My amendment simply asks for transparency. It in no way delays the bill. The Senate can vote this amendment up or down as soon as it comes up. Let’s vote!