The Citizenship Defense Act (S.111) - uses the recently passed Arizona immigration law (S.B. 1070) as a foundation. The Citizenship Defense Act will more clearly define the role local and state law enforcement should play in the fight against illegal immigration. The bill also revisits the Illegal Immigration Reform Act of 2008 to make needed updates to further enhance the state’s ability to remove undocumented workers from the state’s labor force.
The Property-owners Protection Act (S.229) – will statutorily limit to 15% the increase that can be assessed on any piece of property (4% or 6%) at the time of purchase. The bill also shifts the burden of proof for an ATI assessment which is above the purchase price to the county assessor; currently the burden of proof falls on the property owner.
The No Double Dipping Act (S.112) – prohibits the state from hiring an attorney or law firm to defend the state if the attorney or law firm has represented a plaintiff against the state in the previous five years.
The South Carolina Value-based Budget and Agency Accountability Act (S.228) - offers an alternative to zero-based budgeting. The value-based budgeting concept requires agencies, on a 5-year rotating schedule, to evaluate and defend, in front of a newly created joint budget review committee of the General Assembly, the appropriations received to fund its core mission and suggest opportunities for improvement. The bill also requires the Legislative Audit Council to scrutinize agency operations in conjunction with the intensive budget review of the new joint committee. This is just one option aimed at making state agencies more efficient, effective and cost sensitive.
The Actual Expenses Act (S.230)- would limit the amount of money a lawmaker receives for per-diem and subsistence to actual expenses verified through the submission of receipts not to exceed the maximum allowable amount by law.
The Spending Accountability Act of 2011(S.115) - follows the same voting requirements first introduced by then Representative Haley in 2009.