6 Stories In SC Politics This Week: Legislature Goes To Pot, Anti-Climactic Protest Arrests & T-Rav's Big Adventure

South Carolina government and politics, week of March 10, 2014

1. SC lawmakers are kinda chill about cannabis, pt. 2

Yes, you read that right. SC lawmakers are OK with marijuana products. Just don't smoke it.

Two measures moved forward in the Senate that 1) allow farming of industrial hemp and 2) allow doctors to experiment with a cannabis extract to help ease epileptic seizures.

But, before you "legalize pot" folks get too excited, senators made it clear they only supported the measures because neither hemp nor the CBD oil have a chemical that causes the sensation of being "high."

2. Parking garage protestors get tickets.

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For the second week, a group protested the state's failure to expand Medicaid by blocking the parking garage. Perhaps there is a metaphor there about denied access. This time, city police skipped arrests and simply wrote tickets, and the crowd dispersed. A little anti-climactic.

Perhaps next week, the civil disobedients will try a more dramatic tactic:

3. Gatoring to become more than just a dance

State senators this week gave their approval to a bill that would allow alligator farming in South Carolina. A few other Southern states currently allow the farms for the animals' meat and leather skin. Alligators were once endangered but have seen a population increase in recent years.

Under the bill, gators on a farm cannot be captured from the wild. Farm operators also would not be allowed to get alligator hunt permits.

Word is that local alligators are going to senators' doors lobbying heavily against the idea...

4. House budget: Yay Constitution! Boo, gay lit!

The new House budget punishes two public colleges for setting gay literature as required reading. Conservatives led by State Rep. Garry Smith, R-Greenville, were upset students could not opt out of reading material they saw as offensive. So the two colleges were docked a combined $70,000. Democrats were incensed, calling the move an assault on academic freedom.

Smith tried to show images from one of the books during debate. But House Speaker Bobby Harrell would not allow. Probably didn't want to see this reaction from lawmakers:

In a twist of irony, the House did vote to ensure that students have the right to pass out the U.S. and state Constitution on-campus.

5. Show me the money!

Being one of the most powerful people in the state is not enough to lure good people to public office, says one legislator. State Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, said South Carolina's nine elected statewide constitutional officers (including Gov. Nikki Haley) are "grossly underpaid."

He got language included in the House budget proposal that would study a possible pay raise for the governor and other state executive officers.

None of them -- likely knowing that it looks bad to ask for a raise in an election year -- have commented on the idea. At all.

6. Quote of the Week

State Rep. Jim Merrill, R-Charleston, has long pushed for tax incentives that would encourage movie and TV producers to film in South Carolina.

But, during this week's budget debate, he admitted he was not thrilled those incentives were being used to film Southern Charm — a "reality show" on Bravo starring disgraced former State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel.