On Wednesday, June 12, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) Executive Director Catherine Templeton spoke to the Chamber’s Environmental Committee. Several members of the Chamber’s other advocacy groups were also in attendance. At the meeting, Templeton introduced a new permitting wizard, Permit Central, that is housed on DHEC’s website. This new tool will help direct prospective, new, and current businesses to the appropriate permits that must be obtained. The tool also provides personal phone lines and e-mail addresses of DHEC staff members that are assigned to various permitting areas. This new feature is a tremendous resource for the business community throughout the entire state. 

Metro Leadership Visit: San Antonio
October 8 - 11, 2013

Join a delegation of regional business, government and civic leaders on the 2013 Metro Leadership Visit to this year's destination San Antonio, Texas. Our delegation will meet with key business leaders, elected officials and talent in San Antonio to look at issues similar to our region and the answers they have come up with.

While in San Antonio we will take a deeper look at Talent Development, Community Visioning, Military Impact, Riverwalk, Bike Share Program, Innovation and Entreprenuers.

Click here for more information on the 2013 Metro Leadership Visit. 

To register or find out more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

We wanted to share the following article from the GSA Business e-newsletter today:

Poll shows strong S.C. support for immigration bill

Sine Die
The S.C. Senate and House of Representatives officially adjourned for 2013 at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, although they will return in the coming weeks for conference committees and to address bills that the governor chooses to veto. In the final days, the Senate failed to vote on the controversial ethics bill, Obama nullification legislation and killed the “guns in bars” proposal. However, of interest to the chamber, legislation to increase job retraining tax credits, S.387, was approved in the Senate and sent to the House for deliberation in 2014. Also, the port cargo tax bill, H.3557, and legislation to offer tax credits for redevelopment of abandoned buildings, H.3093, passed the Senate and will go to the governor for her signature.
 
Angel Investor Legislation Passes General Assembly
For two years, the Chamber has aggressively lobbied for income tax credits for angel investors.  These credits will encourage investors to provide capital to designated entrepreneurial start-up companies.  It appears these efforts have been fruitful.  On Wednesday, the bill, H.3505, was given third reading in the Senate after which the House voted 94-10 to concur on the Senate amendments. Governor Haley has five days to sign the bill or it automatically becomes law. Our coalition is working with the governor’s staff to ensure that Governor Haley doesn’t choose to veto this job-creating bill. 
 
Budget Moves to Conference Committee
When the S.C. House of Representatives chose not to concur on Senate amendments to the appropriations bill, H. 3710, and the Capital Reserve Fund, H.3711, conferees were selected for the conference committee. Senators Hugh Leatherman, Harvey Peeler and Nikki Setzler will represent the upper chamber while Representatives Brian White, Mike Anthony and Gary Simrill were chosen from the House.  Deliberations to determine a compromise began last Friday and will resume this Friday, June 14. Of the issues to be negotiated, increased infrastructure funding and allocation is our top concern.
 

On Tuesday night, Charleston County Council approved the first reading of the FY 2014 County budget with a 4-3 vote. Councilmembers Qualey, Sass, and Schweers voted against the budget. Councilmembers Elliott Summey and Henry Darby were not in attendance. In addition, council also voted on budgets for several special districts – including James Island PSD, North Charleston District, Saint John’s Fire District, Saint Paul’s Fire District, and several others. All passed their first reading.

As we reported last week, the County’s Finance Committee voted 8-1 to approve the FY 2014 Annual Allocation Projects. Among those projects were the widening of the Isle of Palms Connector, adding additional turn lanes at the intersection of Ashley River Road and Sam Rittenburg Blvd., converting one lane of the Ashley River Bridge into a bike and pedestrian lane, and adding a left turn lane at the intersection of Calhoun St. and Courtenay Dr. coming off of the James Island Connector.

Last night, County Council voted to accept the Finance Committee’s recommendation. However, the four projects mentioned above were singled out and voted on individually. All passed unanimously except for the Ashley River Bridge project which passed with a 5-2 vote. Councilmen Sass and Rawl were the opposition. Sass argued that removing a vehicle lane from Ashley River Bridge could substantially increase traffic congestion. Sass also expressed his concern that the County shouldn’t spend its money on a project that the SCDOT (South Carolina Department of Transportation) could remove in the future.