S 81 General Bill, By Knotts, Cromer, Bryant, Martin, Leventis, Sheheen, Alexander, Reese, Elliott, Richardson, McGill, Cleary, Fair and Lourie

Similar (H 3059)
A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 16-17-725, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO GIVING FALSE INFORMATION TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR A MEMBER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR RESCUE SQUAD, SO AS TO ADD THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO GIVE FALSE INFORMATION OR IDENTIFICATION TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDING ARREST OR CRIMINAL CHARGES.
01/09/07 Senate Introduced and read first time
01/09/07 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
01/17/07 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Hutto (ch), Jackson,
Knotts, Bryant
The Firefighters’ Association has not taken a position on this bill.

S 163 General Bill, By Leventis and Knotts

A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 6-9-140 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE A GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY TO GRANT OR DENY A WAIVER FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF CODES OR ORDINANCES SPECIFYING THE LOCATION OF FIRE HYDRANTS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 15-78-60, AS AMENDED,RELATING TO EXCEPTIONS TO THE WAIVER OF IMMUNITY UNDER THE SOUTH CAROLINA TORT CLAIMS ACT, SO AS TO EXEMPT LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES FROM LIABILITY FOR LOSSFROM WAIVERS GRANTED OR DENIED.
01/09/07 Senate Introduced and read first time
01/09/07 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
01/17/07 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Martin (ch), Malloy,
Campsen, Williams
The Firefighters’ Association and Chiefs Association do not support this bill.

S 166 General Bill, By Leventis

A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-73-345 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IN COMPUTING DISTANCE FROM A FIRE STATION OR APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING COMMERCIAL FIRE INSURANCE RATE CLASSIFICATIONS, A RATING ORGANIZATION SHALL ALLOW THE INSURED A MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FIRE CODE CLASSIFICATION IF THE INSURED CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT REGARDLESS OF DISTANCE, THE RESPONSE TIME FROM THE NEAREST FIRE STATION OR APPARATUS TO THE INSURED LOCATION DOES NOT EXCEED THE MEAN RESPONSE TIME OF A MORE ADVANTAGEOUS FIRE CODE CLASSIFICATION ASSUMING COMPARABLE AVAILABLE WATER SOURCES.
01/09/07 Senate Introduced and read first time
01/09/07 Senate Referred to Committee on Banking and Insurance
The Firefighters’ Association and Chiefs Association do not support this bill.

S 246 General Bill, By Gregory

A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 16-3-20 OF THE 1976 CODE, BY ADDING ARSON TO THE LIST OF CRIMES INCLUDED IN THE STATUTORY AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR PURPOSES OF THE DEATH PENALTY.
01/09/07 Senate Introduced and read first time
01/09/07 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
01/17/07 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Hutto (ch), Jackson,
Knotts, Bryant
The Firefighters’ Association and Chiefs Association support this bill.

S 259 General Bill, By Reese

A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-3815 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO PARK CERTAIN VEHICLES IN A FIRE LANE OR A NO PARKING ZONE, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION.

01/09/07 Senate Introduced and read first time
01/09/07 Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation
The Firefighters’ Association has not taken a position on this bill.

H 3045 General Bill, By Cooper, Cobb-Hunter, Umphlett, Mahaffey, Sandifer, G.R. Smith, Hamilton, Davenport, Mitchell, Miller, Battle, Thompson, J.R. Smith, J.H. Neal, M.A. Pitts, Cotty, Ballentine, Haley, Ceips, Funderburk, Brady, White, Kirsh, Jefferson, Vick, McLeod, Harrell, Littlejohn, Lucas, Branham, Delleney, Bowen and Gambrell

A BILL TO ENACT THE "VOLUNTEER STRATEGIC ASSISTANCE AND FIRE EQUIPMENT ACT OF 2007 (V-SAFE)" BY ADDING CHAPTER 51 TO TITLE 23, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS ANNUALLY FOR GRANTS THAT MUST BE AWARDED TO CERTAIN VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND REGIONAL RESPONSE AREAS FROM INCIDENTS OF FIRE, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, TERRORISM, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE GRANTS MUST BE ADMINISTERED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PEER REVIEW PANEL.

01/09/07 House Introduced and read first time
01/09/07 House Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
The Firefighters’ Association and Chiefs Association support this bill.

H 3050 General Bill, By Clemmons

A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 16-11-190, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ATTEMPTS TO BURN, SO AS TO MAKE THE PENALTY THE SAME AS FOR THE PRINCIPAL OFFENSE.

01/09/07 House Introduced and read first time
01/09/07 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary
The Firefighters’ Association has not taken a position on this bill.

H 3059 General Bill, By M.A. Pitts, Haskins, Umphlett, Mahaffey, Sandifer and Haley

Similar (S 0081)
A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 16-17-725, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO GIVING FALSE INFORMATION TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR A MEMBER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR RESCUE SQUAD, SO AS TO ADD THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO GIVE FALSE INFORMATION OR IDENTIFICATION TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDING ARREST OR CRIMINAL CHARGES.

01/09/07 House Introduced and read first time
01/09/07 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary
The Firefighters’ Association has not taken a position on this bill.

H 3214 General Bill, By Witherspoon

A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 48-34-50, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
RELATING TO LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES, INJURY, OR LOSS CAUSED BY PRESCRIBED FIRE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT GROSS NEGLIGENCE RATHER THAN NEGLIGENCE MUST BE PROVEN BEFORE A PROPERTY OWNER OR LESSEE OR HIS AGENT OR EMPLOYEE CONDUCTING A PRESCRIBED BURN IS LIABLE FOR DAMAGES, INJURY, OR LOSS.

01/11/07 House Introduced and read first time
01/11/07 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary
The Firefighters’ Association has not taken a position on this bill.

H 3286 General Bill, By Crawford

A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 23-3-70 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF PLAIN LANGUAGE COMMUNICATIONS BY EACH STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY, FIRE, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

01/17/07 House Introduced and read first time
01/17/07 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public
Works
01/23/07 House Recalled from Committee on Education and Public
Works
01/23/07 House Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
Public and Municipal Affairs
The Firefighters’ Association has not taken a position on this bill.

Other Legislation Proposed by the Fire Service

USAR Funding
The Firefighters and Chiefs Associations made a presentation to a House Ways and Means Sub-committee to provide $983,000 in recurring funding to operate the USAR team including $50,000 for each of the five Type II Regional USAR Teams. The response was very positive, but we still do not know for certain if our request will be included in the House version of the budget.

Workers Comp for Civilian Emergency Responders
The Firefighters and Chiefs Associations support legislation that would require the state to cover civilian emergency responders such as medical staff and structural engineers on the USAR team and chemists on the COBRA teams. This legislation is under development.

Workers Comp for Volunteer Firefighters
The Firefighters and Chiefs Associations support legislation that would increase the weekly workers comp funding for volunteer firefighters from 37.5% of the average weekly state salary to 75% of the average weekly state salary. This would put volunteer firefighters at the same level of funding as the National Guard. This legislation is under development.

Child Labor Law Revisions
The Firefighters and Chiefs Associations support legislation that would allow the S.C. Fire Academy to train 16 and 17 year olds if they were part of a Fire Department Explorer Post. This proposed legislation is currently under review for compliance with federal child labor laws.

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