Frazier seeking Lexington House seat

Danny Frazier wants a new political title.

The Lexington Town Councilman is running for state representative in the Republican primary in House District 69.

The district sprawls across a mix of established and new neighborhoods in West Columbia, Oak Grove, St. Andrews, the town of Lexington and the south-eastern shore of Lake Murray.

“It’s time state government stop the bickering and state working together to bring about economic development and jobs,” Frazier said in letter sent to voters.

Frazier, a builder, has been a town councilman for four years.Incumbent Ted Pitts is running for lieutenant governor.

Graham: 'This is about conservative and liberal politics'

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said President Barack Obama has nominated "someone of good character" in U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. But Graham also said he's undecided if he will vote for her. 

Monday the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee began its confirmation hearing for Sotomayor, who if confirmed would become the nation's first Latina justice on the state's highest court.

Graham said he is still troubled by comments made by Sotomayor, who once said a "wise Latina female" could render better verdicts in some cases than white males.

"If I had said anything remotely like that, my career would have been over," Graham said.

Graham, an attorney, said he does not think Sotomayor is a racist.

"But it bothers me when somebody wearing a robe thinks their experience makes them better than everyone else," Graham said. 

Payday lending veto rebuffed

The Senate has overridden Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of a controversial payday lending bill, marking the first new regulations to be placed on the $155 million-a-year business in South Carolina.

Despite all the wrangling over the measure, and the issue itself, Tuesday's vote was not close, 39-3 in favor of the override.

"I don't want to vote to support sustaining the veto --- it would be an endorsement of the corrupt practice of this industry," said Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington, who staunchly opposed the payday lending industry and legislation he condemned as too weak to protect consumers.

Senate overrides veto of fire grants

The Senate overrode Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of V-Safe, or the Volunteer Strategic Assistance and Fire Equipment Program Tuesday, by a vote of 41-1. The bill, which Sanford also vetoed last year, and almost apologized for vetoing it again this year, provides grants to volunteer and combination fire departments to purchase safety equipment, as appropriated funds allow

Ports bill overridden by the General Assembly

The Senate voted 34-9 Tuesday to override the governor's veto of a bill that restructures the State Ports Authority. The House overrode the bill earlier, and it now becomes law. Several senators took to the floor over a three-hour period to defend the governor's veto, but it was not enough.

House votes to override license plate veto

In a 91 to 15 vote, House lawmakers have overridden Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of a bill, creating three new specialty license plates including an "Our Farms -- Our Future" plate. To overturn the veto, the Senate must now agree by a two-thirds vote

Sanford veto of housing bill upheld

In a 69 to 40 vote Tuesday, the House sustained Sanford's veto of House bill 3919 that would have created a state Housing Commission to ensure the availability of safe, sound and affordable housing in the state.

Senate adopts tax overhaul bill

The Senate adopted a conference committee report Tuesday that establishes a comprehensive tax study commission. The vote was 41-3.

The proposed commission would consist of 11 members, none of them House or Senate members.

The House-Senate conference committee approved the measure unanimously, which will look at all the state's tax laws and exemptions, except for those covered under Act 388.

The measure must still be passed by the House, and if approved, would then go to the governor.

House turns back sex offender registry veto

By one vote House lawmakers overrode Gov. Mark Sanford's veto Tuesday of a bill that prohibits local governments from enacting their own sex offender residency requirements.

If the Senate agrees with the House, local governments must comply with state law, prohibiting offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds and other places where children congregate.

Two thirds of House lawmakers needed to vote in favor of overturning Sanford's veto. The  Senate voted 77 to 38 in favor of overturning the veto.

Sanford objected to the bill because it cut the penalty for failing to register as a sex offender to 30 days from 90 days. The penalty reduction would be in place while the S.C. Law Enforcement Division figures out a mapping system to determine where sex offenders can legally live under the law.

House votes to override payday lending veto

The S.C. House has voted to overturn Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of a bill that creates new rules by which the payday loan industry must conduct business.

The vote, 105-4, means the Senate must also agree by at least two thirds to turn back Sanford's bid to block the bid.

Lawmakers agreed to set raise payday loans to $550 from $300 and limit borrowers to one loan at a time. Sanford said the bill unfairly singles out payday loans for their high interest credit products. 

Buy S.C. veto rejected in Senate

The Senate voted 33-10 to override Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of a bill Tuesday that gives incentives to out-of-state vendors to subcontract with in-state vendors on projects involving state contracts.

The Small Business Chamber of Commerce said the change in law would help create more jobs and be fairer to in-state businesses.

Sanford said the change to the state codes effectively picks "winners and losers" and may be unconstitutional.

Two thirds of the House must also reject the veto to make it law.