This bill removes mistake of age as a defense to criminal sexual conduct with a minor. It strikes the exclusion of people under 18 from liability under this section. This is the “Romeo Provision” that was added at the last minute of last session. It returns the age of consent at 17 years old. Basically, this draft gets things back in line with how most people expected it to be in Jessica’s Law. This change was added in the Jessica’s law ping pong on the last day of 2006 and this bill will correct that flaw.http://www.scstatehouse.net/sess117_2007-2008/bills/127.htm

Last week Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) was in town visiting the Campbell Veterans Nursing Center. I’ve always been impressed with Brownback as he is one of the few potential presidential candidates that’s on the mark with fiscal & social issues. Cato gives him an 86%.

Does he have a chance entering this late? With Romney & McCain swatting at each other, maybe so. Wonder if “upstate voice” knows who Howie Rich is supporting?

The first picture is with the Chaplain and the other picture is with L-R Heyward Hilliard (Administrator), Brownback, Me, Sen. Jim DeMint.

For My Conservative Friends: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
For My Liberal Friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting these greetings, you are accepting the aforementioned terms as stated. This greeting is not subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself/himself/others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

This bill takes out the requirement for political parties to place ads in the newspaper when the information is posted on party’s web site. Currently, all political parties in each county are required to purchase ads in a newspaper with daily circulation for things like candidate filing, precinct reorganization, etc. I would like to end this requirement if the party posts these announcements on the party’s website. The requirement has good intentions, but in the day of electronic notification, we would all agree that this is an obsolete obligation.http://www.scstatehouse.net/sess117_2007-2008/bills/128.htm

This bill will requires any rate increase that a municipal utility would like to impose on customers outside of the municipality’s corporate limits must be approved by the Public Service Commission. This would put all utilities operated by municipalities serving customers outside the boundaries under the jurisdiction of the PSC.

In ’04 I cosponsored legislation that would guarantee equal rates for all customers. After nearly 2 years of negotiations with city representatives, I decided to try a different angle.

In my district, I have constituents that purchase water from the City of Anderson that live outside the city limits. They are charged higher rates than the residents living within the city limits. Some cry “taxation without representation”. Are these rates justifiable? That’s debatable, but the PSC has a proven record of fairness.

This legislation would apply to all utilities owned by municipalities serving customers outside of the political boundary.http://www.scstatehouse.net/sess117_2007-2008/bills/85.htm

The attached documents reveal a promise made that was not kept. Back in 2001, when the city was trying to purchase the system from Duke power, they gave us the promise that there would be no dual rates.