Shirley Hinson leaving House

Chief majority whip, of Goose Creek, to take education job

Chief majority whip, of Goose Creek, to take education job

Brad Nettles
The Post and Courier/File

Shirley Hinson

COLUMBIA — In a state with a declining number of women willing to serve in public office, one of the most visible and powerful of those women announced Friday she was stepping down.

Shirley Hinson of Goose Creek climbed the Republican ranks of the S.C. House of Representatives to become the state's first woman chief majority whip, but said she was leaving office next week to take an education position.

That leaves 15 women in the 170-member Legislature, down from 20 in 2000.

"The biggest challenge is knowing when to move on," Hinson, R-Goose Creek, said after talking the decision through with her family over Thanksgiving dinner.

When she ran earlier this year to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Bill Mescher, a Berkeley County Republican, Hinson said she had decided she'd accomplished all she set out to in the House. Losing the race to former Alcoa executive Paul Campbell did not play a part in her resignation, she said.

"That decision had already been made in my heart and my mind," Hinson said, adding that it's time to give someone else the opportunity to serve. "There is a reason for all things. I feel like this opportunity came along and I feel even better about it."

Hinson, 58, will accept a full-time position at the Lowcountry Graduate Center in Charleston, where she's worked part time developing curricula and training courses for the area's in-demand jobs.

Her resignation is effective Dec. 1. A special election will be held, but no date has been set.

"Shirley's always had such a good overview," House Majority Leader Jim Merrill, R-Daniel Island, said. "There are probably enough middle-aged white males in the General Assembly and to have a lady who has such a macro view of politics and society, and a conservative view, will be greatly missed."

House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, and Rep. Annette Young, R-Summerville, agreed that Hinson has been an effective legislator and ally to the state's conservatives. As majority whip since January 2005, Hinson was charged with ensuring the Republicans had the necessary votes to pass important legislation.

"I will miss her terribly," Harrell said. "She's been very, very helpful to me, and she's been very good to the Lowcountry."

Young noted that Hinson's resignation strikes a blow to diversity in the Legislature.

South Carolina has the lowest percentage of women in any state legislature, and the state has no women in Congress or statewide office. Women make up about 52 percent of South Carolina's population and are more likely than men to go to the polls. For every five men who voted in 2006 in South Carolina, six women cast ballots.

Hinson recalled her efforts to reach the top. Having served eight years on the Berkeley County School Board, her first assignment was on the House Education Committee. Relying on her experience in banking, she moved to the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee before convincing former House Speaker David Wilkins to give her a spot on the Ways and Means Committee.

"I said, 'You will not be sorry, Mr. Speaker. I will make you proud,' " Hinson said.

Hinson says her accomplishments include increasing teacher salaries, while noting there's still room to grow there; helping shape the Education Accountability Act; and helping to pass tort reform and overhaul workers' compensation. She also counts property tax relief, a women's scholarship fund and a monument dedicated to the state's fallen law enforcement officers among her accomplishments.

In 2000, she overcame a nasty public battle to retain her seat in the state House with her then-estranged husband, Jimmy Hinson, now a Berkeley County School Board member. Shirley Hinson married James Law in 2004.

Additionally, Hinson earned a reputation as being sure-footed politically. In 2003, she called for honesty in tort reform and took on Gov. Mark Sanford when he vetoed her bill for the fallen officers' monument.

Whether she decides in the future to seek public office again or stays in the background, Hinson said she intends to continue to fight for the causes closest to her heart: conservatism in government and women in leadership.

"I will not have that vote on the board, but I will be pushing buttons every other way I can," Hinson said.

Shirley Hinson"

State Rep. Shirley Hinson, R-Goose Creek

AGE: 58

FAMILY: Husband, James Law; son, Trey, 29; stepson, Jay Law, 31.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Hanahan High School in 1967; associate degree from Trident Technical College in 1992; Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from the College of Charleston in 1994.

OCCUPATION: Accepted a full-time position as a college administrator at the Lowcountry Graduate Center in Charleston, previously working in that capacity part time.

PREVIOUS ELECTED OFFICE: Berkeley County School Board, 1988-1996; House of Representatives, District 92, 1996 to present.

SERVICE: First woman to serve as chief majority whip; member of the House Ways and Means Committee; vice chairwoman of the House Ethics Committee; past president of the General Assembly Women's Caucus; member of the House Women's Caucus and chairwoman of the Berkeley County Legislative Delegation.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Serving as one of the few women in the Legislature and as chief majority whip, she was responsible for handling floor activity during the passage of such important legislation as tort reform, workers' compensation reform, Department of Transportation restructuring and property tax reform.

AWARDS: Named Legislator of the Year in 2002 by the Fraternal Order of Police; received Friend of the Taxpayer Award in 2003, 2004 and 2005, among other honors.

Reach Yvonne M. Wenger at 803-799-9051 or ywenger@postandcourier.com.