The South Carolina House passed H4624 by a strong 82 to 23 vote, sending this important piece of legislation to the Senate. H4624, also known as “Help, Not Harm,” would prevent minors from receiving puberty blockers, cross hormone treatments, and gender reassignment surgery. The bill was assigned to the Senate Medical Affairs Committee and set […]
Legislative Update: S.C. Legislative Session Off to Fast Start
The 2024 South Carolina legislative session opened on Tuesday, Jan. 9, with House Republicans presenting three bills for sub-committee hearings. Usually, you can depend on the South Carolina Legislature to move slowly and deliberately, especially on the first day of the session. So, when the opening day schedule included a 3M Medical Affairs Sub-Committee hearing […]
Legislative Update: 2024 Legislative Session Preview
The 2024 legislative session will begin Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. As we look to the beginning of the session, there are several bills I will be monitoring as the session moves forward. Before we dive into some of the bills that will be considered, we need to be aware of pertinent issues affecting the environment […]
Legislative Update: Gifts Under God’s Christmas Tree
The 125th South Carolina General Assembly will begin Tuesday, Jan. 9, and conclude Thursday, May 30. In between those two dates, members of the Assembly will propose, debate, pass, and vote down legislation that will affect the lives of nearly 5.2 million South Carolinians. In January, I will outline some of the legislative priorities that […]
Legislative Update: Should Christians Be Involved in Politics?
I am guessing that the moment you read the title of this column, you immediately responded with a rousing yes or no. The thought of politics lights a fire in some, while causing others to turn a cold shoulder. No doubt you have heard that politics and religion do not mix. James Madison put it […]
Legislative Update: The World Needs Peacemakers … Will Christians Step Up?
“Our nation is enveloped in a social and cultural revolution. We are shocked by the potential for anarchy in a land dedicated to democracy and freedom. There are ominous sounds of hate and violence among men and of unbelief and rebellion toward God. These compel Christians to face the social situation and to examine themselves […]
Legislative Update: What Can We Learn from the Ohio Constitutional Referendum?
On Tuesday, Aug. 8, the people of Ohio voted no on a constitutional amendment that would have raised the bar to change their state constitution from 50-percent-plus-one to 60 percent. The “no” vote means the current law will stay in place. The vote is being seen as a defeat for pro-life forces who are now […]
Legislative Update: U.S. Supreme Court Delivers Two Crucial Religious Liberty Decisions
For Christians, living in a culture that has abandoned absolute truth and reason as its foundation means freedom to speak the truth about biblical truths crucial to our witness and influence within the culture. Jesus’ prayer to His Father in John 17 focuses on our role as witnesses who are not of the world (that […]
Legislative Update: Why Should S.C. Baptists Care About Judicial Reform?
God’s Word has much to say about justice. God told Amos, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24). Solomon extols the virtue of wisdom, writing that “wisdom walks in the way of righteousness and in the paths of justice” (Proverbs 8:20). David wrote, “For the Word of the […]
Legislative Update: Why a Biblical Worldview Matters for the Military
Recently, I had the honor and privilege of attending the commissioning service of Air Force 2nd Lt. Max Robbins. Max recently graduated from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I’ve known him, his sister, and his mom and dad for well over 30 years. Our relationship feels more like […]