COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce has released the 2016 Legislative Scorecard,  with a record 81 legislators earning Business Advocate Awards. Of the 81 Business Advocates, 16 are from the S.C. Senate and 65 are from the House of Representatives.

Each legislative session, the Chamber tracks roll call votes on key business issues and tallies them to determine an overall score for each member of the General Assembly. In 2016, the Chamber weighted the issues on importance to the business climate and economic competitiveness, and tracked key votes on infrastructure, workforce development, an attempt to repeal our Right to Work laws, military retirement benefits, tort reform and aid for our farmers following October’s historic flood.

“By and large, the General Assembly and business community had a productive year in 2016. The bulk of the work from this legislature focused on two key economic drivers: workforce development and improving the condition of our roads and bridges. If you have the opportunity, please take the time to thank our 2016 Business Advocates for their service and efforts to keep South Carolina the best place in the world to live, work and do business,” said SC Chamber President and CEO Ted Pitts.

Legislators who scored 90% or more and will receive the Chamber’s Business Advocate Award:

Senate:

Senator Thomas Alexander (R-Oconee)

Senator Sean Bennett (R-Dorchester)

Senator Paul Campbell (R-Berkeley)

Senator Michael Fair (R-Greenville)

Senator Mike Gambrell (R-Anderson)

Senator Greg Gregory (R-Lancaster)

Senator Greg Hembree (R-Horry)

Speaker Pro Tempore Hugh Leatherman (R-Florence)

Senator Larry Martin (R-Pickens)

Senator Shane Massey (R-Edgefield)

Senator Floyd Nicholson (D-Greenwood)

Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry)

Senator Nikki Setzler (D-Lexington)

Senator Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington)

Senator Ross Turner (R-Greenville)

Senator Kent Williams (D-Marion)

House of Representatives:

Representative Rita Allison (R-Spartanburg)

Representative Mike Anthony (D-Union)

Representative Jimmy Bales (D-Richland)

Representative Nathan Ballentine (R-Richland)

Representative Beth Bernstein (D-Richland)

Representative Kenny Bingham (R-Lexington)

Representative Bill Bowers (D-Hampton)

Representative Mike Burns (R-Greenville)

Representative Gary Clary (R-Pickens)

Representative Derham Cole (R-Spartanburg)

Representative Bill Crosby (R-Charleston)

Representative Joe Daning (R-Berkeley)

Representative Greg Delleney (R-Chester)

Representative Chandra Dillard (D-Greenville)

Representative MaryGail Douglas (D-Fairfield)

Representative Greg Duckworth (R-Horry)

Representative Shannon Erickson (R-Beaufort)

Representative Russell Fry (R-Horry)

Representative Laurie Slade Funderburk (D-Kershaw)

Representative Craig Gagnon (R-Abbeville)

Representative J. Wayne George (D-Marion)

Representative Jackie Hayes (D-Dillon)

Representative Phyllis Henderson (R-Greenville)

Representative Bill Herbkersman (R-Beaufort)

Representative Donna Hicks (R-Spartanburg)

Representative Bill Hixon (R-Aiken)

Representative Chip Huggins (R-Lexington)

Representative Jeff Johnson (R-Horry)

Representative Jay Jordan (R-Florence)

Representative Ralph Kennedy (R-Lexington)

Representative Chip Limehouse (R-Charleston)

Representative Dwight Loftis (R-Greenville)

Speaker Jay Lucas (R-Darlington)

Representative David Mack (D-Charleston)

Representative Joe McEachern (D-Richland)

Representative Mia McLeod (D-Richland)

Representative James Merrill (R-Berkeley)

Representative Dennis Moss (R-Cherokee)

Representative Steve Moss (R-Cherokee)

Representative Joe Neal (D-Richland)

Representative Weston Newton (R-Beaufort)

Representative Michael Pitts (R-Laurens)

Representative Tommy Pope (R-York)

Representative Robert Ridgeway (D-Clarendon)

Representative Shannon Riley (R-Greenwood)

Representative Bill Sandifer (R-Oconee)

Representative Gary Simrill (R-York)

Representative Garry Smith (R-Greenville)

Representative James Smith (D-Richland)

Representative Murrell Smith (R-Sumter)

Representative Mike Sottile (R-Charleston)

Representative Kit Spires (R-Lexington)

Representative Leon Stavrinakis (D-Charleston)

Representative Tommy Stringer (R-Greenville)

Representative Eddie Tallon (R-Spartanburg)

Representative Bill Taylor (R-Aiken)

Representative Anne Thayer (R-Anderson)

Representative Mary Tinkler (D-Charleston)

Representative David Weeks (D-Sumter)

Representative Don Wells (R-Aiken)

Representative Brian White (R-Anderson)

Representative Bill Whitmire (R-Oconee)

Representative Robert Williams (D-Darlington)

Representative Mark Willis (R-Greenville)

Representative Richie Yow (R-Chesterfield)