Legislative Update, March 8-12
After another successful week at the State House, the CCL Legislative team is happy to report more victories for the Conservation Community:
S.903/ H.4269 Conservation Bank
In these tough economic times, it is reassuring to know that many lawmakers understand the immediate and long term benefits of land conservation. The CCL Legislative team would like to thank Sen. Yancy McGill (D-Florence), Sen. Chip Campsen (R-Charleston), Sen. Paul Campbell (R-Berkeley), Sen. Danny Verdin (R-Greenville) and all of the members of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Senate Finance Subcommittee who spoke in favor of the Conservation Bank this week. This agency is working hard to remove a harmful provision in the current legislation that zeros out all funding should there be budget reductions for other state agencies. S.903 passed out of the full Senate Agriculture Committee with kind workds from Conservation Bank champions like Sen. Campsen, Sen. Campbell and Sen. McGill, who referred to their actions that day as "righting an injustice" that was done when the original legislation was drafted. Sen. McGill also offered strong support for the Conservation Bank during the agency's budget hearing later in the week.
Broad support for the agency from our supporters bolstered the debate on S.903's companion bill, H.4269, which went before the House Ways and Means Property Tax Subcommittee on Thursday. Again, CCL would like to thank Rep. Bill Herbkersman (R-Beaufort), who testified to the Subcommittee on behalf of the Conservation Bank, and Rep. Rex Rice (R-Greenville), Rep. Bill Clyburn (D-Aiken) and Rep. Annette Young (R-Charleston), who agreed that preserving the State's natural resources is a meritorious effort and passed the bill out of the Subcommittee. All in all, this busy week for the Conservation Bank indicates a strong desire among legislators to move forward with legislation that protects and preserves access to beautiful stretches of land, creates and maintains jobs, supports tourism and improves the health and wellbeing of South Carolina.
H.3924 Prescribed Fire
Prescribed Fire legislation introduced by the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Harrison (R-Richland), passed out of the Constitutional Law Subcommittee last week. We would like to thank the members of the Subcommittee including Chairman Greg Delaney, Rep. Harrison, Rep. Garry Smith, Rep. James Smith and Rep. Walt McLeod. H.3924 provides greater protection for landowners who choose to conduct prescribed burns on their property and is supported by a number of organizations.
It is an essential resource management tool that benefits the safety of landowners and the public, the environment, and the economy of the community and state. The controlled reduction of forest fuel and prevention of forest fire, improved wildlife habitat, and control of insects and disease are just a few reasons that this is the most cost effective and efficient form of forest management in the State. However, even with the evident benefits, liability is consistently listed as a major concern for landowners and is often the reason that they do not engage in it. With 88% of forestland in SC being privately owned, these landowners are the primary caretakers of our forests.
The continued need to use prescribed fire in an educated and judicious manner has been recognized in other states. Similar prescribed fire legislation has been passed in both Florida and Georgia. Passage of this important legislation will ensure that natural resource managers and private landowners in South Carolina are offered similar liability protections in the future.
