2011 Legislative Agenda

This Legislative Agenda is driven by results from the Greenville Chamber’s membership-wide survey as well as input from the Chamber’s Legislative Issues Committee and Board of Directors. It reflects the Greenville business community’s legislative priorities for the year 2011.

Business Regulatory Reform

The Chamber recognizes that tax policies and other regulatory policies have an enormous impact on the cost and affordability of doing business in South Carolina and the Upstate.  

The Greenville Chamber supports:

  • Achieving comprehensive tort reform, including non-economic damage caps, limit on appeals, bonds and seatbelt admissibility
  • Achieving business-friendly, comprehensive tax reform (sales, property, income, fees, etc.)
  • Reforming and/or repealing Act 388
  • Bringing more predictability to state spending by creating a state spending cap with a budget stabilization fund

Economic Development

The Chamber is an advocate of developing and implementing a new vision and comprehensive statewide economic development plan – focused on creating jobs of the future, with wages and salaries above the national average, business retention, and incentives for high growth companies.  

The Greenville Chamber supports:

  • Continued port expansion, including dredging and a dual rail access solution
  • Expansion of the USC Medical Education Program to four years at Greenville Hospital System, which will have a direct economic impact on the Greenville area and significantly improve the healthcare delivery system for all of South Carolina
  • Legislation that will help attract private capital for promising start-ups while putting SC on an even, competitive footing with 25 other states (including NC and GA), that already provide entrepreneurial focused incentives
  • Efforts to ensure South Carolina remains a right-to-work state
  • Dedicated funding and stable revenue for the maintenance and repair of South Carolina roads and bridges
  • Upstate tourism and the creation of a comprehensive South Carolina State Tourism Plan

Education and Workforce Development

The Chamber believes that life-long education is a driver of economic development. By striving to create a workforce that has the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the business needs of the Upstate, education will become the dynamic force behind business in the Upstate.

The Greenville Chamber supports:

  • Initiatives that will help to increase early childhood education and graduation rates, which will provide a more skilled workforce for business and industry in South Carolina
  • Legislation that provides stable, equitable, and adequate K-12 funding
  • Creating a seamless process for adult learners and workers that connects education, training, and careers in the knowledge economy (such as WorkKeys)

Energy and Environment

The Chamber understands that the energy supply of our country simply does not meet the growing demand of the population and that steps need to be taken to ensure new, innovative ideas are being developed and utilized without causing unnecessary harm to the environment.

The Greenville Chamber supports:

  • Offshore energy exploration and production off South Carolina’s coast that takes into consideration tourism and the environment
  • Initiatives to insure compliance with EPA air quality standards that promote development without compromising quality of life
  • Development and expansion of nuclear capacity in the Upstate as a critical need for business and industry

Healthcare

The Chamber recognizes that health insurance affordability and access continues to be an issue for business, especially small businesses.  

The Greenville Chamber supports:

  • Legislation that ensures employers are able to provide affordable and sound health insurance to employees
  • Employee wellness programs to help curb obesity and unhealthy lifestyles in order to reduce healthcare costs

For more information about the 2011 Legislative Agenda and Public Policy at the Greenville Chamber, please contact:

Mark Cothran           
Vice President, Public Policy           
864-239-3718                       
mcothran@greenvillechamber.org          

Elizabeth Edwards
Government Relations Manager
864-239-3748
eedwards@greenvillechamber.org