SC Lawmakers Meet For Special Session

Columbia, SC—Thousands of South Carolinians who are out of work should have their unemployment benefits extended soon, after action Tuesday by state lawmakers. Lawmakers are back in Columbia for what they hope will be a two-day session, to change state law to qualify for federal money to extend unemployment benefits. About 7,000 people had their benefits run out, last week, because the state had not made the change. State Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter sponsored a bill back in April that would have done it…but it didn’t pass.

State Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter, (D) Orangeburg, SC: “I think what we have here is an example of what has become common practice in this General Assembly, and that is, depending on whose name is on a bill, that determines whether it gets airing or not.“

But, the Speaker of the House, Bobby Harrell, says the change got lost because it was part of a much larger bill to restructure the South Carolina Employment Security Commission.

State Representative Bobby Harrell, (R) Speaker of the SC House of Representatives: “It should’ve been done back when we were here before, but the problem was that the membership never heard from the Employment Security Commission, that it’s something that needed to be done.“

Robert Kittle, reporting: “The Employment Security Commission says it did tell state lawmakers about this change that needed to be made, but admits it may not have stressed how important it was.“

The House unanimously agreed to fix the problem…so it needs one more vote before heading to the Senate. Then, State Representative Greg Delleney tried to introduce a resolution to impeach Governor Mark Sanford.

State Representative Greg Delleney, (R) Chester, SC: “I’m merely asking for this resolution to be allowed to be introduced so that you can refer it to the appropriate committee to be taken up before we return in January.“

But, the Speaker ruled it out of order…because lawmakers are back to deal with specific items…and impeachment is not one of them.

The session will cost taxpayers about $115,000…if lawmakers meet for two days as expected. But, it should be a big help to unemployed workers whose benefits have run out…because after the change get final approval…those extended benefits are retroactive.