S.C. Military Base Task Force Reports on 2015 Legislative Session

Seven bills benefiting military personnel and their families passed into law

COLUMBIA, SC – The leadership of the South Carolina Military Base Task Force is lauding the passage of seven military-friendly bills during the 2015 legislative session. The legislation, already signed into law by Gov. Nikki Haley, provides tax and livability benefits to active-duty men and women, their families and military veterans.

“We are grateful to the General Assembly for advancing key legislation that makes South Carolina an even friendlier state for our men and women in the military,” said Bill Bethea, chairman of the South Carolina Military Base Task Force. “While our priority bill to exempt taxes on retirement income for military veterans did not pass both houses this year, it is halfway there, and the strides made will provide momentum for the Task Force’s efforts moving forward.  However, the bills that did pass this year are a major boost to our military-friendly standing.”

The seven military-friendly bills that were ratified this session are:

• S.153, by Senators Shealy, Hembree and others, provides for the extension of a property tax exemption to the vehicle of a disabled veteran’s surviving spouse for their lifetime or until the remarriage of the surviving spouse.

• S.391, by Senators Young, Massey and others, revisits eligibility criteria for in-state higher education tuition rates for veterans and their dependents, establishing that an honorably discharged veteran of the armed services who has evidenced intent to domicile in the state and their dependents are entitled to receive in-state tuition without the requirement of one year of physical residence in the state.

• H.3154 by Representatives J.E. Smith, G.M. Smith and others, establishes the “South Carolina Uniform Military And Overseas Voters Act” to better facilitate the casting of absentee ballots in elections by deployed military and other overseas voters.

• H.3156 by Representatives J.E. Smith, Cobb-Hunter and others, creates the “Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act.” This legislation establishes protocols to address issues of custodial responsibility that arise when a parent in the uniformed Armed Services is deployed, including provisions for temporary child custody orders and agreements that are put in place during the time of deployment.

• H.3324 by Representatives J.E. Smith, G.M. Smith and others, expands membership of the existing Veterans’ Issues Study Committee to include members appointed by the executive branch and requires a report by February 1, 2016.

• H.3547 by Representatives J.E. Smith and Yow, involves National and State Guard reemployment rights. Prior to the passage of this legislation, reemployment rights were provided for persons employed in South Carolina who are members of the S.C. National Guard and the S.C. State Guard. This legislation extends those rights to individuals employed in South Carolina but are members of another state’s guard unit.

• H.3548, by Representatives J.E. Smith, Yow and Weeks, establishes the ability for a county social services agency to communicate reports of abuse or neglect of children to military commands.

The bill that would lift the income tax requirement on military retiree pay, H.3147, was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives last year and again this year and is currently pending in the Senate Finance Committee.

“We firmly believe that passage of the exemption bill will attract more military retirees and their families to make South Carolina their home and their workplace,” Bethea said.  “Employers recognize that the skills learned through military service are highly valued in today’s workforce – strong leadership qualities, integrity, disciplined execution, loyalty and commitment and an understanding of teamwork.  Our enviable success in attracting the tremendous companies like BMW, Boeing, Volvo and the many other quality companies with which our state is blessed is only part of the equation.  We need to also attract and/or train the quality workforce to meet those companies’ needs.  We believe the tax exemption bill could provide a meaningful and ultimately revenue-generating part of that equation.”

For additional information on the Military Base Task Force, visit www.scmilitarybases.com.