The Senate passed a payday lending bill today, a controversial measure proponents call a compromise, and consumer advocates call disappointing.
The Senate vote for passage, 41-4, broke a four-month long General Assembly impasse.
Sen. Joel Lourie,D-Richland, a co-sponsor of the compromise amendment that broke impasse, said he expects the House of Representatives to accept the Senate version of the bill, without a need for further action.
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The abortion issue is dead in the 2009 General Assembly, its death blow coming at the hands of the state senator who days ago told the Senate that issue is the only reason he is an elected official.
Sen. Lee Bright, R-Spartanburg, again threw the Senate in a lurch Thursday, when he asked for the Senate's consent to leave the day's main business - dispatching of Gov. Mark Sanford's vetoes - to resume consideration of a House-passed bill that requires a woman to wait 24 hours after an ultrasound is performed before proceeding with an abortion.
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A couple dozen 10th Amendment advocates brought their sleeping bags to the State House Tuesday, vowing to camp out until senators approved a resolution, affirming states' rights.
"It is a very serious issue. Our rights are being violated," said Harry Kibler, S.C. director for the Patriotic Resistance organization. "We feel our legislators are failing us as citizens of South Carolina."
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Gay rights advocates called on senators Tuesday to strike down an amendment on a teen dating violence bill.
"Discriminating against children because of their sexual orientation, to me, is ridiculous," said Rep. Ken Kennedy, D-Williamsburg.
Last week, the House approved a bill requiring school districts to dispense information about the dangers of teen dating violence to students and their parents. An amendment by Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Calhoun, requires the information only reference heterosexual teen couples.
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