[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SLIxiO6kzA&w=560&h=315]

I’m presenting S. 1561, a Senate Resolution congratulating the 2012 Girls Soccer State Champions. The Champs include Head Coach Katelyn Davis and team members include Tatiana Guarin, Madison Anderson, Madyson Strong, Paige Miller, Baylee Gillmore, Chelsea Drennan, Catherine Roberts, Madison Cutts, Amber Bowles, Kelly Shaw, Meredith Parker, Jan Wilson, Anna Brannon, Olivia Bair, Kylie Miller, Christina Barrington, Lina Baroni, Margaret McElwee, and Fantasia Todd.

Go Jackets!

A few weeks ago, I had the great opportunity to a tour of Wren High School by Principal Nichole Boseman (right of me in 1st pic). In one of their government classes, we had a great debate about debt, taxes, and gun control. In their special needs class, I learned that there’s not a diploma available for special needs students (other states provide this). We’ve been working with Dr. Mick Zais on the possibilities of language for a bill to generate this diploma. Congratulations to Ms. Boseman, her staff, and the students for an impressive school.

AGENDA LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP FOR THE MEDIA
Sponsored by: South Carolina Press Association, South Carolina Broadcasters Association, Associated Press
9:30 a.m., Thursday, January 3, 2013 Room 112, Solomon Blatt Building, Columbia, South Carolina

Photos of this workshop for your local media outlet will be available late Friday afternoon at http://www.scpress.org/legislative.html.

9:30 – 9:45​Registration and Opening Remarks
​Moderator – Mike Smith, Executive Editor, Spartanburg Herald-Journal ALL COMMENTS ARE ON THE RECORD.

9:45 – 10:15​Les Boles, State Budget Director, B&CB Overview of numbers on revenue and spending projections.

10:15 – 12:00​Morning Roundtable Budget Discussion:
Topics: ​Cyber Security, Are there extra monies for health services and infrastructure? Extra fuel tax?
​ EFA & Local Government Formulas – Tax Increases, Tax Cuts or Ignore Statute?​ Higher Ed Formula – Is it more important than EFA/ Local Govt Formulas? State Employee Salaries ​Tax Reform
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Overview of Budget
11:45-12:00​Q&A
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Panelists:​Sen. Harvey Peeler​, Rep. Brian White​, ​Sen. Thomas Alexander ​Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, ​​Sen. Yancey McGill​, Rep. Rita Allison, ​Sen. Kevin Bryant, Rep. Harry Ott, ​Rep. Murrell Smith, ​Rep. Bruce Bannister
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12:00-1:00​LUNCH – House Caucus Presentations of Their 2013 Legislative Agendas
Speaker Bobby Harrell, Majority Leader Bruce Bannister, and Reps. ________ & ____________
Minority Leader Harry Ott, and Reps. Joe Neal, Chandra Dillard and Mandy Powers Norrell

1:00-2:30​Afternoon Roundtable Discussion Topics: ​Ethics Reform, ​Open Government Reform, Restructuring
2:15-2:30​Q&A
Panelists:​Sen. Larry Martin, ​Rep. Murrell Smith, Sen. Wes Hayes, ​​Rep. Bill Taylor​, ​Sen. Vincent Sheheen, ​Rep. Derham Cole​, Sen. Shane Massey, ​​Rep. Rita Allison, Rep. James Smith, ​Rep. Chandra Dillard​​ ​​​​​​ ​