Greg Duckworth | HOA Reform, Locksmith Licensure, Battling the Heroin/Opioid Epidemic, Protecting Life.
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03 Apr HOA Reform, Locksmith Licensure, Battling the Heroin/Opioid Epidemic, Protecting Life.

Only three legislative days remain until the crossover deadline. In order for a bill to have a chance of becoming law this year under normal circumstances, it must receive initial passage in at least one legislative chamber (House or Senate) by the end of this week. This past week my House colleagues and I worked extended hours to make time on the calendar so that other crucial legislation has the chance of clearing the cutoff date. I’ve provided some highlights below from this past week’s session:

HOA Reform

HOA reform is long overdue, and this past week the House voted unanimously in a bipartisan manner to ensure HOAs operate with added transparency, accountability and fairness. Under this new proposal, home sellers must tell home buyers at the time of sale if a property is regulated by an HOA. Additionally, this bill adds homeowner protections by allowing more disputes to be settled in lower courts, avoiding the need for expensive legal bills in some cases. Finally, the bill requires any HOA to give public notice prior to raising any yearly fees on association membership.

Locksmith Licensure

For far too long, bad actors have been taking advantage of this profession and our citizens who depend upon legitimate locksmiths to safeguard our businesses, homes – and the most important of treasures – our loved ones. No longer will South Carolina be the wild wild West for locksmiths. Legislation my colleagues and I introduced unanimously passed the House last week with bipartisan support. This bill, now headed to the Senate chamber, requires locksmiths to pass a state and national criminal background check as well as examination to become licensed.

Heroin/Opioid Bill Clears the House

A few weeks ago, some of my colleagues and I filed several pieces of legislation designed to address South Carolina’s dependence on heroin and opiates. Many of the bills have been scheduled for subcommittee hearings and have made their way to the House floor, with more on the way. Last Thursday afternoon, the first bill cleared the House unanimously and is now headed to the Senate for consideration.

Anti-Dismemberment Abortion Act

I’m very pleased to report the House of Representatives passed the Anti-Dismemberment Abortion Act this past week. We fought a group of about 20 liberal democratic legislators on the floor in order to get it done and ultimately prevailed after lengthy debate. This law restricts the immoral procedure of dismemberment and imposes appropriate penalties for any abortion provider that is found guilty of engaging in the gruesome practice.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you in Columbia. If I can ever be of assistance to you, or if you have ideas on issues you want me to share with the rest of the General Assembly, please don’t hesitate to contact me.