Watch: Senate Passes Roads Bill
Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — On Thursday, the Senate passed a bill to fix South Carolina’s roads and bridges. The vote came after several days of debate.
“What we saw with the Republican Senators and the Governor was scraping what was a real plan and replacing it with the ‘patch act,’ the fake act, really a fraud to the people of South Carolina,” explained Senator Vincent Sheheen.
The bill passed and supported by the Senate Republican majority allocates roughly $400 million dollars in recurring money from the state’s general fund and gives the Governor the power to appoint the members of the Department of Transportation Commission Board. The bill created a deep division among both parties.
“I don’t know how you can get a more conservative plan that offers results and reform,” said Senator Larry Grooms.
“If you wanted to look at a plan that would fix our roads long term, a plan that would make a difference in the lives of South Carolinians it was the plan that was on the Senate calendar for the last year and a half that was just killed by the leadership of our state and that’s sad,” said Senator Sheheen.
The bill heading to the House next is already facing criticism. In a statement released by House Speaker Jay Lucas, he states “The Senate’s deceptive plan to fix our crumbling roads system is irresponsible and prioritizes politics over a sound solution.”
Some Senators on both sides of the aisle said Thursday they hope the House will come up with that more sound solution.
“Maybe the House will change their plan, tweak it so it will have a more long term impact,” said Senator Sheheen.
“I’m not sure they are going to rubber stamp the Senate bill, I feel like the house members, they get elected just like we do,” explained Senator Raymond Cleary. “They serve their public just like we do and they have the same answers they have to answer the public just like we do.”
The House will bring up the bill in the next several weeks, it then heads to committee before reaching the Governor’s desk.
