Advocacy

The engineering community is interested in numerous issues relating to business as well as the health, safety and welfare of our citizens. The following bills and issues are important.

The state of the economy has much to do with what we may expect from our Legislature. Those bills which add or transfer funds are likely not going to pass in a year when the State is facing continued revenue challenges. Nevertheless, those bills that do not deal with funds should be emphasized.

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Current Issues

2012 Legislative Issues

Legislation Engineers Favor

Tort Reform and Workers’ Compensation – The SC Civil Justice Coalition is formulating its tort reform agenda. Engineers and Architects have supported this coalition’s efforts in tort reform and strengthening the Workers’ Compensation Commission policies, procedures and findings.

Qualification Based Selection – The engineering organizations are working on having bills introduced to strengthen qualification based selection in South Carolina at all political subdivision levels. Currently, the State Procurement Code established QBS for state agencies, some school districts and local governments of a certain size. This legislation, if passed should help curb bidding from local governments.

Architect-Engineer Volunteer Act – Legislation has been introduced by Representative Kenny Bingham, Senator Phil Shoopman and others to protect volunteers helping governmental entities after a disaster from professional liability issues. Volunteers must be called by a public official and cannot receive pay for their work for this protection.

Infrastructure Funding – The revenue from gasoline sales have fallen over the years and the state gasoline use tax has not been adjusted in more than 20 years. State highways, roads and bridges are deteriorating, and revenue to maintain and expand, where needed is not sufficient. The engineering community will support any legislation to increase infrastructure funding.

Bond Bill for Vertical Construction Projects -- The design and construction industry accounts for one in nine dollars of our Gross Domestic Product and has disproportionally suffered during our economic decline, with a 35-50% loss of jobs since 2008. In this weak economy, there is no better investment than building. AIASC supports legislation to issue and sell direct general obligation interest-bearing bonds to be used for the purposes of capital outlay and maintenance. 

 Legislation Engineers Oppose

False Claims Act – Practically every year false claims act legislation is introduced. A false claims law is potentially harmful to businesses; it creates an incentive for lawsuits to target companies that do business with the government. Engineers do not support this legislation.

Standard Public School Plans H. 3039 – The engineering community joins its architectural brethren opposing any requirements for standard architectural plans for public schools to which all construction must comply. These standard plans would be the property of the State Department of Education. Legislation calling for these standard school plans was introduced in 2010 but did not advance.

Interior Designer Practice Act H. 4073 - Regulation of professionals and occupations by the State of South Carolina is by law restricted to what is necessary for the preservation of the health, safety and welfare of the public.  All but two states in the US have determined that the work interior designers perform does not impact the public’s health, safety or welfare.  If this legislation is passed, interior designers would be allowed to provide design services that SC law prohibits and to coordinate the work of other design professionals without the education, experience and training to do so.  

Changes in the SC Labor Licensing & Regulation Law H. 4593 - LLR is supporting legislation that gives the department’s director autonomy in selecting, hiring and placing registration board administrators in these positions without the registration boards’ consent.

Legislation Engineers should Monitor

Changes in SCDOT – In Governor Haley’s “State of the State” address, she mentioned doing away with the SCDOT Commission and making the department a cabinet agency.  There are other bills dealing with SCDOT watching.

Others – The legislative session in South Carolina is long, and traditionally about 1,000 bills are introduced; so, there may be other legislation we must monitor, and voice our opinions.