March 20, 2026

Proposed Laws in Columbia, SC: The Bad Legislation You Need to Know About

Send us Fan Mail summary This episode provides an in-depth overview of recent legislative bills in South Carolina, focusing on their implications for gun rights, personal liberty, and local governance. Host James Moffitt discusses the importance of civic engagement and staying informed about bills that could impact individual freedoms. keywords South Carolina legislation, gun rights, personal liberty, bad bills, civic engagement, Second Amendment, government overreach key topics L...

Show Notes
Transcript

Send us Fan Mail

summary

This episode provides an in-depth overview of recent legislative bills in South Carolina, focusing on their implications for gun rights, personal liberty, and local governance. Host James Moffitt discusses the importance of civic engagement and staying informed about bills that could impact individual freedoms.

keywords

South Carolina legislation, gun rights, personal liberty, bad bills, civic engagement, Second Amendment, government overreach

key topics

Legislative bills in South Carolina

Impact on gun rights and personal liberty

Civic engagement and activism

sound bites

"The squeaky wheel gets fixed first"

"Making EV drivers contribute to road funding"

"Criminalizing approaching emergency workers"

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Liberty and Gun Rights Podcast

03:48 Understanding Personal Liberty and Responsibility

05:07 Overview of Bad Bills in South Carolina

11:20 Detailed Discussion on Specific Bad Bills

30:09 Impact of Proposed Tax Changes

33:46 Criminalizing Interference with Emergency Workers

40:51 Call to Action and Conclusion

resources

Jonathan Hill's Bad Bills Newsletter - https://substack.com

Liberty and Gun Rights Website - https://libertyandgunrights.com

Call to Action for episodes

Support the show

Want to be a guest on Liberty and Gun Rights Podcast? Send James Moffitt a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/libertygunrights

WEBVTT

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Hello and welcome to Liberty a Gun Rights Podcast.

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My name is James Moffat, and I'll be your host.

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For those of you in the listening audience that are watching on the my YouTube channel where I upload my video podcast episodes, you'll see that I'm wearing my frontline defender hat.

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And I also have a shirt and several other things that they've sent me over the years.

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So I'm a frontline defender because I am a Second Amendment advocate activist.

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And I believe that common citizens such as ourselves should be our own first responders, and we should be able to own and carry and possess firearms for the protection of our loved ones and our family members.

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All right.

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So today I'm going to give you an update on bad bills in Columbia, South Carolina.

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That's right.

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Bad bills.

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Now, for you, those of you that are not familiar with me or Liberty and Gun Rights Podcast, you're probably going, There's not any bad bills in Columbia, South Carolina.

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I would say to you that your head is stuck in the sand.

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No.

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I'm kidding.

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No, there are some bad bills that I are legislators in Columbia, South Carolina, both in the Senate and the House of Representatives that are trying to push these bad bills, which I'm going to read to you, uh, through uh the House of Representatives and the Senate, and have the governor uh of South Carolina sign these things into law.

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Some of them are okay.

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They might be questionable as to whether they actually bring value to our lives.

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Some of them are not so good and definitely don't need to be passed as law into law.

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And some some of them are downright bad, and we don't want them to be passed into law.

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So what do we want as citizens?

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We want less government, less government overreach, less control from government, and we want them to stay out of our pockets, right?

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We don't want those grimy little paws in our pockets stealing money, taking more and more of our paycheck.

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And I'm I'm sure that anybody that's listening to this will agree that we want less government and we want to be left alone.

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We want our government to be ruled by the people, by the people and for the people.

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And that's why we elect people into government is to serve their constituents and do what's right.

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Unfortunately, people get voted into office and they become leaders in the House of Representatives or they become senators, and they they fall into the trap of listening to lobbyists and taking money from lobbyists, and the lobbyists fill their pockets with cash and they write bills for them that they want to see passed.

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That's kind of hard to believe, isn't it?

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But it's true.

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It is the truth, I'm telling you.

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Mark my words, this is the truth.

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So without further ado, let's get into this episode.

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So on this episode of Liberty and Gun Rights, we explore the meaning of personal liberty and responsibility that comes with it.

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Rooted in the principles of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, this podcast examines the individual right to self-protection and the protection of one's family.

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But rights do not stand alone.

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They are inseparable from discipline, training, sound judgment, and strong gun safety practices.

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We believe personal defense begins with personal responsibility.

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In a world where seconds matter and help may be minutes away, citizens must be prepared to be their own first responder, mentally, legally, and physically.

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That means understanding the law, committing to safe firearm ownership, pursuing proper training, and cultivating the character required to carry such responsibility.

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The show is not about fear.

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It's about freedom.

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It's about preparedness, it's about accountability.

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Join us as we examine the balance between liberty and duty, rights and responsibilities, and what it truly means to stand ready to defend yourself, your family, and the principles that define a free society.

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So the bad bills that we're going to be talking about, I'm just going to list them for you.

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I'm not going to dig into every single one of these because I don't have the time to do it, and you don't probably don't want to take the time to listen.

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But I will tell you that Jonathan Hill has a a uh newsletter on Substack.

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Go to Substack.com, sign up for a free account, and look up Jonathan Hill and subscribe to his weekly newsletter.

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It's called Bad Bills.

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And every week you'll get an email of his newsletter with all these bad bills, and he keeps track of them.

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Thank you, Jonathan Hill.

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Dr.

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Pepper.

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I love Dr.

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Pepper.

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So Jonathan Hill has agreed to be on Liberty and Gun Rights podcast, and I'm working on getting him to click on my calendar link and select a date and time.

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And he said he'd be honored to be on the podcast and talk with me.

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So stay tuned for that.

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All right, here are the bad Senate bills.

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H3556, sponsored by Brandon Newton, stopping election challenges.

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H3557, Brandon Newton again, candidate filing fee hike.

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S.962 slash D.5370 Clemson Extension Honeybee Sales Licensure.

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S.2022 S.222 UTV Registration and Insurance.

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S.81 sponsored by Grooms Toll Road Proliferation.

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House Bills.

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H.5126 Ways and Means State Budget.

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That's one we should probably pay attention to.

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H.6 Bannister Blue Collar Income Tax Hike.

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That's one that I'm going to delve into.

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Because if you're a blue collar worker like a lot of us are, they're talking about increasing the taxes, the state taxes that they're going to take out of your paycheck.

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Anybody interested in that?

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Can I hear it?

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Can I hear an amen?

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Amen?

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Or oh my?

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Or hell yes?

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Blue collar income tax hike.

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Say no.

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Call your call your senators and your representative and the House of Representatives and tell them that they need to strike down H.4216 blue collar income tax hike.

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I'm going to say that several times as a call to action so that you'll do it.

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Let's see.

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Committee bills.

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I guess these bills are in committee.

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Senate Finance Committee Bills 303 and S519 Heated Cigarette Tax.

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I wonder if that's got to do with the uh vapes, the vapes that you see everybody smoking and token on.

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And uh so they're looking to tax those.

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H.413 set by Bobby Cox, taxing veterans bingo cards.

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Taxing's taxing veterans bingo cards.

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How far will they go?

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Why do we need to tax veterans bingo cards?

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For God's sake.

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S.866 Elliott, who's the representative, local sales tax hike.

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Let's say that again.

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S866, sponsored by Elliot.

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Local sales tax hike.

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That means an increase.

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They're gonna stick their paws in our pockets again and our paychecks and take more money.

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Is that what we want?

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No.

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Senate Banking and Insurance Committee bills.

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Luke Rankin is uh sponsoring this one, S.342, state control of Medicaid Pharmacy Services.

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State control of Medicaid Pharmacy Services.

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What could go wrong with that?

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Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee bills.

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S 867, Representative Davis, Data Center Development Act.

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Data Center Development Act.

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Data centers are going up everywhere, including in South Carolina.

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Google has several data centers.

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And what has happened because of that, Google and all these other data centers, whoever they're owned by, they're buying up all the RAM, random access memory, and all the RAM chips that they can get their little claws on so that they can build these ginormous data centers to host artificial intelligence.

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And so what's that doing?

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Well, it's causing the cost of hardware, computer hardware, to go through the roof, especially RAM.

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And uh that's not good.

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So that has a trickle-down effect to everybody, every every retailer, best buy, any of these big box stores, anybody that sells computers, it's going to drive the price of computer computers up and computer components.

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So it'd be interesting to follow the Data Center Development Act.

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Senate Judiciary Committee Bills.

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H.40763 and S.175 Arumas and Zell.

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Criminalizing Approaching Emergency Workers.

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It's called the Halo Act.

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Criminalizing approaching emergency workers or first responders, basically.

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I'm going to go into that one in detail.

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All right.

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So that's the list of Senate bills, House bills, committee bills, and uh they're bad bills.

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And thank you, Jonathan Hill, for uh providing a uh list of these bills, and we can all uh I will tell you something.

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I had a conversation with a coworker today, and it really spurred me on to I mean, my blood pressure was already up because some of these bills and reading what I found out about them.

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But then I went and talked to one of my coworkers and I said, Hey, would you be interested in the blue-collar income tax hike bill that's uh in Columbia right now?

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No.

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Well, I said, I understand I can't really talk about it too much out in the open and because I'm a federal contractor and I work do IT support for the VA and very supportive of what they do for our veterans.

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So anyway, I can't really send anything in email at work.

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I can't put anything in Teams because all that stuff is monitored and it's just kind of a forbidden subject, right?

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So I said, if you'll give me a personal email address, then I can send this stuff to you and it'll you know it'll keep it off of the VA network.

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And he just kind of looked at me and went, he said they're gonna do what they're gonna do.

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There's there's not much we can do about it.

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I said, Well, that's where you're wrong.

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Number one, people in Colombia who are trying to push these bad bills hoping that we're A, ignorant, uninformed, and B, apathetic, and C, have a defeatist attitude.

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Why should we say anything?

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The the people in in Colombia are just gonna do what they want.

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You're right.

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Absolutely right.

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They will do whatever they want as long as we don't stand up and shine a light on this, excuse me, bullshit, these bullshit bills that they're trying to cram down our throats.

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What happens if we don't stand up and recognize what they're trying to do and educate ourselves and talk to our representatives in the House and to our senators in the Senate and let them know that we're aware of the bill, we know what the bill does, it's not good for us, it's not good for us citizens, so please do not pass it.

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And the more people that squeak about it and the more people that stand up and are counted, that will get their attention.

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The squeaky will gets fixed first, right?

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How do you how do you think we passed some of the gun laws that we have?

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How do you think we passed the Reciprocity Act with Georgia?

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How do you think we passed the the restaurant carry bill?

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How do you think we passed the the open carry with training act?

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How do you think we passed the constitutional carry?

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There's four bills over the last 10 years that that we fought tooth and nail for, and it happened because we woke up and we stood up and we said, enough is enough.

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We don't hear any of these bullshit excuses, and we want you representatives to pass this bill.

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And I'm gonna tell you, the fur was flying.

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There are a lot of cat fights, there are a lot of upset legislators, there are a lot of upset moms demand action groups and all of the liberal groups that were were funded by all these billionaires that were bussing people down to Columbia for these public hearings, telling them what to wear, telling them what to say.

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So, what's the call to action here?

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The call to action is pay attention to what's going on.

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Join South Carolina Cary.

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Join, what is this?

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The uh frontline defenders.

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Right.

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Join a pro-Second Amendment group that's paying attention to these bills.

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The NRA.

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Join the NRA.

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There's a lot of groups out there.

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Pay it, join uh conservatruth.

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Conservatruth is a watchdog organization that that puts out all these bad bills.

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They they educate people that anybody that will listen about all these bad bills.

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So the call to action is pull your head out of the sand.

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If it's there, pull the head out of out of the sand and start looking around and start reading news groups, get on Reddit, get on Facebook, Palmetto Concealed Carry.

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We've got a group on there.

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We've got two groups, one for low country, one for the upstate.

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South Carolina Carries got a website where we we post blog posts and post a lot of good information that will keep you educated about what's going on around you.

00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:21.600
So that's your call to action.

00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:25.279
You heard it here from James Moffat at Liberty and Gun Rights Podcast.

00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:30.960
And I know, and I'm going to assume that some of you are going to take this to heart and actually do something.

00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:34.720
One thing you can do is tell people to go to Liberty and Gunrights website.

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Liberty and Gunrights website.

00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:40.720
It's Libertyand Gunrights.com, I believe.

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Let me go look.

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And all it takes is all it takes is for us to take intentional actions.

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So it's Liberty Rights, I'm sorry.

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Libertyandgunrights.com.

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Libertyandgunrights.com.

00:13:53.039 --> 00:14:03.679
And on this website you'll see everything, all the information you would ever want to know about this podcast, about guest profiles, about upcoming episodes, past episodes, a blog.

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You can leave a review, you can contact me, you can send me hate mail.

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Do all sorts of stuff.

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You can follow the website.

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Every time something new happens, every time I post a new blog post, you get an email.

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How cool is that?

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There's a lot of technology out there that helps us podcasters to reach out and grab a hold of our listeners and give them quality information, which is what I'm trying to do here.

00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:30.000
I want to show you my Liberty and Gun Rights podcast website.

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And I like it.

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I think um Podpage, I use Podpage to I've got three podcasts ABCs of parenting adult children, Liberty and Gun Rights, and Father's Refuge.

00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:43.759
And Podpage creates a website for all three of them.

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And look how nice that looks.

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It's got my Liberty and Gun Rights podcast with James Moffat.

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Artwork.

00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.919
And I'm going to get back to the topic at hand.

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I I sometimes chase rabbits a little bit.

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I don't mean to.

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All right, let's talk about these bad bills.

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Three main purpose.

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The bill changes the rules for protesting or contesting election results in party primaries, Republican or Democrat for local and state offices.

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Key changes in the bill.

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Expands who handles election protests.

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The state executive committee of a political party would be required to hear protests and contests not only for major offices, but also for county officers.

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Local offices below the county level, municipal, city town offices.

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Possible deposit slash bond for election challenges.

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Someone who files an election challenge should be required to post a bond or deposit up to$750 to cover hearing costs if the challenge fails.

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If the challenge succeeds, the money would be refunded.

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Change changes hearing timelines.

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The bill adjusts how quickly party committees must hold hearings on election disputes after a primary.

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Appeals process.

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Decisions by the party's executive committee should be appealed, could be appealed directly to the South Carolina Supreme Court.

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Cleans up older election statutes.

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Several older sections of the South Carolina law about election protests should be repealed or consolidated into the updated process.

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Status.

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The bill was introduced by Brandon Newton.

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It has received favorable committee reports in both the House and Senate during the 2025-2026 legislative session.

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Why it matters.

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Supporters say the bill creates cleaner procedures for challenging election results, standardizes how local and municipal primary disputes are handled.

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Critics sometimes worry that the bond requirement could discourage some people from filing election challenges.

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In plain terms, H3 mainly changes how political parties handle disputes about primary election results in South Carolina, including adding procedures, timelines, and possibly filing dis deposits.

00:16:52.879 --> 00:17:02.480
Here are some of the specific rules and provisions inside South Carolina Regulation Document 5370, which S.962 approves.

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These regulations fall under the authority of Clemson University through the Department of Plant Industry, which regulates agriculture and posts in South Carolina.

00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:15.839
I've switched gears.

00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:18.799
Now we're talking about uh S5370.

00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:21.680
It talks about beekeeper registration.

00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:26.799
Beekeepers in South Carolina may be required to register their bee yards with the state.

00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:35.920
This allows agricultural offices to track hive locations, monitor disease outbreaks, coordinates inspections if pests or disease appear.

00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:37.680
Hive inspection authority.

00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:46.319
The regulation allows inspectors from Clemson's Department of Plant Industry to inspect bee colonies and equipment if necessary to control bee diseases.

00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:52.880
Parasites such as the varroa mite a major threat to honeybees and other invasive pests.

00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:58.079
Movement of bee colonies rules address transporting bee colonies into or within the state.

00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:03.279
These provisions may require documentation or permits when moving hives.

00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.799
Health certification shows colonies are disease free.

00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:14.880
This is especially important for commercial pollination operations where bees are transported between farms or across state lines.

00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:19.200
Have you watched the movie called Beekeeper with Jason Statham?

00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:21.519
If you have not, you might want to watch it.

00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:26.160
If you know Jason Statham, he is uh one of those action heroes.

00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.599
He's pretty intense.

00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:29.119
But anyway, watch Beekeeper.

00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.720
All right, back to the bill.

00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:31.920
Quarantine authority.

00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:39.119
If a disease or pest outbreak is detected, the regulation allows officials to quarantine infected colonies, bee farms.

00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:42.319
It's called A P I R I E S the Paris.

00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:43.359
I don't I can't say that.

00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:49.519
Restrict movement of affected colonies, order treatment of destruction of infected hives if necessary to prevent spread.

00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.000
Control of abandoned or feral colonies.

00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:57.839
I've heard of feral cats, but I have not heard of feral beehives or feral bee colonies.

00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:04.880
The regulation gives the state authority to address abandoned or unmanaged colonies that could spread disease to managed hives.

00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.160
Well, that makes sense.

00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:08.720
Protection of agricultural pollination.

00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:18.240
South Carolina agriculture depends heavily on honey bee pollination for crops such as peaches, watermelons, blueberries, cucumbers, and squash.

00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:20.000
Why the regulation exists?

00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:26.480
Well, it says the regulation aims to protect the health of pollinator populations that support these crops.

00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:35.599
Honey bee populations have been threatened for years by different types of mites, colony collapse disorder, viral diseases, pesticide exposure.

00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:43.519
State agricultural agencies often implement regulatory frameworks to monitor hive health and prevent large-scale losses.

00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:45.200
Why some people are concerned?

00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:52.559
Some hobbyist beekeepers and small farmers worry the regulation could lead to more government oversight of backyard beekeeping.

00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:53.759
That sounds familiar.

00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:58.720
Possible fees for paperwork, inspections that could affect small operations.

00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:05.599
Supporters argue the rules are necessary to protect the state's food supply and agricultural economy.

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:10.720
In simple terms, S.962 doesn't create the beekeeping rules itself.

00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:18.559
It approves Regulation 5370, which updates how South Carolina tracks insects and protects honeybee colonies.

00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:19.839
All right, here's the next one.

00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:22.880
S.831 Toll Road Proliferation.

00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:35.279
South Carolina Senate Bill S.81 is a major transportation reform and infrastructure bill being considered by the South Carolina General Assembly in Columbia during the 2025-2026 legislative session.

00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:45.039
It is often referred to as the SDOT Modernization Bill because it proposes broad changes to how the state's transportation system is managed and funded.

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:48.240
Below is a clear breakdown of what the bill does and why it matters.

00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:51.039
It creates a transportation coordinating council.

00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:55.759
The bill established a coordinating council for transportation and mobility.

00:20:56.000 --> 00:21:00.160
This council would help coordinate statewide transportation planning and policy.

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:04.480
It would oversee collaboration amongst state agencies, counties, and municipalities.

00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:11.359
Purpose improve coordination and long-term planning for roads, highways, and infrastructures across South Carolina.

00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:14.000
Expands public-private partnerships.

00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:16.319
PP public private partnerships.

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.599
Say that real fast three times.

00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:26.960
S 831 allows the South Carolina Department of Transportation, SC D OT, to partner with private companies to build or manage transportation projects.

00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:31.839
Examples could include toll roads, bridges, major highway projects.

00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:35.039
Supporters say this helps fund projects faster.

00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:40.400
Critics worry it could lead to private privatization or higher toll costs.

00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:42.319
It also allows new toll roads.

00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:51.119
The bill expands authority for the state to create turnpikes and toll facilities and outlines how toll revenue would be used to repay construction bonds.

00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:59.759
Key Elements defines how toll projects are financed, requires feasibility studies before certain projects, creates penalties and enforcement systems for unpaid.

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.559
Paid tolls, adds new transportation fees.

00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:12.319
Bill includes new or expanded user fees such as higher annual fees on electric vehicles, user fees for electricity used at public EV charging stations.

00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:17.119
Well, that should get all of you Tesla users or drivers, uh that should get your attention.

00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:24.000
Higher annual fees on electric vehicles, user fees for electricity used at public EV charging stations.

00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:28.880
No doubt here in Charleston at the Tanker Outlet, they have charging stations for EVs.

00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:29.920
I don't think they charge.

00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:30.799
I think it's free.

00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.880
But that may that may change.

00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:38.960
The idea is to make EV drivers contribute to road funding since they do not pay gasoline taxes.

00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:40.079
There we go.

00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:45.759
The idea is to make EV drivers contribute to road funding since they do not pay gasoline taxes.

00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:48.000
Traffic impact fees on new development.

00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:55.279
S 831 would allow fees on new residential or commercial developments to help pay for the additional road traffic they create.

00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:00.799
For example, large housing development could be required to help fund road improvements nearby.

00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:02.880
Possible local tax authority.

00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:14.880
This bill could allow counties or municipalities to adopt a two cent local sales tax or additional property mileage to help pay for transportation maintenance or transferred roads.

00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:41.039
Changes to SC DOT operations, the bill also reorganizes how the South Carolina Department of Transportation operates, including new contracting methods for highway construction, changes to oversight and auditing, new project delivery models for major infrastructure projects, current status as of twenty twenty six introduced in the South Carolina Senate, being reviewed by the Senate Transportation Committee subcommittees have begun working on it.

00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:45.839
It has not yet become law and may change as it moves moves through the legislative process.

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:59.200
In simple terms, S eight three one is a large transportation reform bill that could introduce toll roads, EV road fees, development, impact fees, and new funding mechanisms for highways and infrastructures of South Carolina.

00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:00.480
All right, here's the next one.

00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:03.200
Which should be of a lot of interest to all of us.

00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:07.039
Especially if we pay South Carolina income tax.

00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:12.240
What H four two one six would change?

00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:19.440
South Carolina currently has a progressive income tax system with several brackets and a top rate around six point two percent.

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:24.319
H four two one six would simplify the system and gradually reduce taxes.

00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:26.559
It says it would gradually reduce taxes.

00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:38.559
Key elements, new tax structures, Senate amended version, one point nine nine percent tax on income up to thirty thousand, five point two one percent tax on income above thirty thousand.

00:24:38.720 --> 00:25:09.119
Other changes eliminates the federal standard deduction and itemized deductions used in the current system, creates a new state deduction, six thousand single, twelve thousand married, nine thousand ahead of household that phases out for higher earners, uses federal adjusted gross income or HGI as a starting point for calculating state tax, includes automatic future rate cuts if state revenue grows enough, potentially lowering the rate to 1.99% flat or even zero long term.

00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:11.839
Why some people call it a blue-collar tax hike?

00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:17.279
The phrase comes from critics who say the bill removes deductions and shifts the tax burden.

00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:28.720
According to a fiscal analysis of the proposal, 42.8% of taxpayers would pay less, 22.6% would pay more, 34.6% would see no change.

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:42.079
The reason some lower or middle income earners might pay more, the current system taxes income after deductions, the new system taxes adjusted gross income, which can be higher because some deductions disappear.

00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:51.200
That means certain taxpayers, especially those who benefit heavily from deductions today, could see a higher tax bill even though rates are lower.

00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:53.359
Why supporters say it's a tax cut?

00:25:53.519 --> 00:26:03.119
Supporters argue the bill cuts the top income tax rate, simplifies the tax code, creates a path towards eliminating the state income tax entirely.

00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:09.839
They say South Carolina would become more competitive with states like Florida or Tennessee, which have no state income tax.

00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:12.240
Where the bill stands down in 2026.

00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:23.279
Passed the South Carolina House earlier, Senate approved an amended version in early 2026 and may go to a conference committee if the House and Senate versions differ.

00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:28.640
In simple terms, it lowers tax rates overall and aims to phase out the income tax.

00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:38.960
But because it removes some deductions, certain middle or working class taxpayers can initially pay more, which is why opponents label it as blue collar tax hike.

00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:39.519
All right.

00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:42.079
Well, stick that in your hat and smoke on it.

00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:43.440
Think about it.

00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:54.160
If you want more information, you can always ask Microsoft Copilot or Gemini or ChatGBT or any of those AI engines to provide you with more detail.

00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:57.200
Three, criminalizing approaching emergency workers.

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:59.680
What the Halo Act would make illegal.

00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:09.759
The bill says that once a first responder gives a verbal warning, a person may not intentionally approach or remain within twenty five feet if they're trying to interfere with a responder's work.

00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:23.119
The law would apply if someone approaches with the intent to interfere with duties, for example, distracting officers during an arrest or blocking EMS treatment, threaten or attempt physical harm, harass the responder in a way that causes distress.

00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:29.039
This means someone would be charged if they ignore the warning and continue interfering while standing close to the responder.

00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:31.039
Who is protected under the bill?

00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:33.599
The bill defines first responder broadly.

00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:47.359
It includes law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, EMTs, paramedics, ambulance personnel, certain hospital emergency department staff involved in emergency care penalties.

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:57.039
If someone violates the law, it would be a misdemeanor which would p with potential penalties of up to$500 fine and 60 days in jail.

00:27:57.200 --> 00:28:02.400
Because it creates a new offense, courts and prosecutors could see additional cases if it passes.

00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:04.079
Why supporters want the bill?

00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:11.920
Supporters say the goal is to protect police, firefighters, and EMS crews from harassment or interference at emergency scenes.

00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:13.039
I can support that.

00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:16.799
They argue situations like these have become more common.

00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:18.960
Crowds interfering during arrests.

00:28:19.119 --> 00:28:28.400
We see that on TV all the time now that ICE has been enforcing undocumented people being in our country and being criminals and having warrants for their arrest.

00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:33.519
There's lots and lots of protests going on in America right now because of ICE activities.

00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:39.680
People filming or confronting officers at very close range, bystanders getting in the way of emergency medical treatment.

00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:41.279
Well, there's no excuse for that.

00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:45.279
The bill tries to create a clear legal buffer zone once a warning is given.

00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:46.960
Concerns raised by critics.

00:28:47.119 --> 00:29:00.400
Some critics worry the bill could affect citizens filming police activity, First Amendment rights in public spaces, whether harassment is defined broadly enough that it would or could be used against people questioning police actions.

00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:04.559
These debates are common with buffer zone laws around police activity.

00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:14.480
Status of the bill twenty twenty six Introduced in the South Carolina House january thirteenth, twenty twenty six, referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:18.640
The committee has recommended it move forward, but it has not yet become law.

00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:30.400
Simple summary three would make it a crime to approach within twenty five feet of police firefighters or EMS after they warn you to stay back if the person is interfering, threatening them, or harassing them.

00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:37.599
So if you want, ChatGBT said I can also explain two things that might interest you giving your Liberty and Gun Rights podcast audience.

00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:43.599
How H four seven six three could affect citizens recording police or public encounters.

00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:50.559
Other South Carolina law and order bills moving through Columbia right now that would become big issues this season.

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:52.160
The session, excuse me.

00:29:52.319 --> 00:29:53.039
I can't read.

00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:55.599
The bill does not ban recording police.

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:58.160
A person can still film or observe officers.

00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:05.759
However, if a first responder tells someone to step back, the person must move at least twenty five feet away or risk being charged with a misdemeanor.

00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:10.319
Possible penalties, up to five hundred dollars, up to sixty days in jail.

00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:12.640
Why filming police matters legally?

00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:21.039
Federal courts have generally recognized the First Amendment right to record police in public spaces as long as the person does not interfere.

00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:28.720
That means courts usually allow recording traffic stops, recording arrests, filming police interactions in public areas.

00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:29.440
The debate.

00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:35.039
Supporters say twenty-five feet is enough distance to observe and film safely.

00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:38.880
Officers need space to control scenes and keep people safe.

00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:43.599
Critics say twenty five feet could make it harder to document misconduct.

00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:47.599
Officers might use the warning to push cameras farther away.

00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:52.079
People may not be able to judge what twenty five feet is in a chaotic situation.

00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:57.920
In short, supporters safety buffer, critics, potential chilling effect on accountability.

00:30:58.079 --> 00:31:00.799
The constitutional debate around buffer zone laws.

00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:04.720
The biggest legal question is whether these laws violate the First Amendment.

00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:12.559
Some lawmakers and civil liberties groups say the bill could criminalize people who are simply observing or questioning police actions.

00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:23.920
Concerns include vague definitions like harassment, enforcement discretion by officers, whether it limits speech in public places, important legal history.

00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:31.119
Similar buffer zone laws in other states have faced court challenges and some were struck down by federal courts.

00:31:31.359 --> 00:31:34.960
Courts typically ask, is the restriction narrowly tailored?

00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:37.839
Does it serve a legitimate public safety interest?

00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:41.920
Does it leave alternative alternative ways to observe or record?

00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:46.960
If South Carolina passes H four seven six three, it can eventually be tested in federal court.

00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:49.200
Why police organizations support the bill?

00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:53.759
Law enforcement groups in South Carolina strongly support HALO legislation.

00:31:53.920 --> 00:32:02.880
They argue it helps with situations like crowds gathering during arrests, people interfering with EMS treatment, bystanders standing too close to fire scenes.

00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:08.480
Their argument is that a defined distance standard prevents confusion and keeps responders safe.

00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:14.640
Current status of the bill, the South Carolina House passed the bill and is expected to move to the Senate for consideration.

00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:19.119
If the Senate passes it and the governor signs it, it would become state law.

00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:20.559
All right, there you have it.

00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:23.359
Let's see, I'm at 37 minutes and forty seconds.

00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:24.400
That wasn't too bad.

00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:28.079
I don't want to drone on for too long and put y'all to sleep, especially if you're driving.

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:34.319
You can also you can always listen to a podcast episode, and when you're tired of listening to it, you can shut it off and come back later.

00:32:34.480 --> 00:32:37.839
So anyway, uh thank you for the privilege of your time.

00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:45.599
Thank you for listening to me tell you about bad bills that are in the South Carolina Senate in the House in Columbia, South Carolina.

00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:53.759
And I'm encouraging you to further investigate, research these bills, and reach out to your state representatives and let them know how you think.

00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:59.119
Call them on the phone, leave voicemails, talk to their aides, leave emails, go on their website.

00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:01.759
The squeakiest wheel gets fixed first.

00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:05.119
So don't hesitate to reach out to your representatives.

00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:09.519