News from around the Statehouse on Thursday:

U.S. Attorney Reggie Lloyd cleared his first hurdle Thursday in his effort to become the head of the State Law Enforcement Division.

Lloyd, 40, told senators his lack of law enforcement experience would not hinder his performance as South Carolina’s top cop. Instead, the former circuit judge said his commitment to keeping the state safe will make him a good chief.

“At the end of the day, you’re either going to care about those people ... or you’re not,” Lloyd told a panel of six lawmakers.

A Senate panel unanimously confirmed Lloyd’s nomination by Gov. Mark Sanford. The nomination now moves to the full Senate Judiciary Committee.

When his nomination was announced in January, Lloyd said he planned to undergo law enforcement training but also said he would have a more hands-off approach than Chief Robert Stewart, who was known for wearing camouflage and a bulletproof vest during manhunts. He retired last year after 20 years leading the agency.

Should he be confirmed by the state Senate, Lloyd would become the first black to lead SLED in the agency’s 60-year history. During the meeting, Lloyd told lawmakers that no one should have concerns that his race would make a difference in how he runs the agency.

“It does bother me when folks bring up the issue of race,” Lloyd said. “Race is not going to make me successful or a failure because, at the end of the day, I have to be held accountable as anyone else would.”

Small businesses in South Carolina would have another way to offer their employees health insurance under a bill that needs only the approval of the governor to become law.

The bill allows a group of at least 10 small businesses to join together and negotiate cheaper insurance rates than an individual business.

Gov. Mark Sanford’s spokesman said Thursday he will sign it into law.

“This is another tool in helping make insurance more affordable for a whole host of workers and small businesses,” the Republican governor said in a news release.

Sanford thinks the bill will help South Carolina’s economy, since 97 percent of all private firms statewide have fewer than 500 employees. Just over half of all South Carolina employees work for those companies, according to his office.

Current state law allows businesses to join together for health insurance but sets a minimum of 1,000 total employees. However, no such cooperation exists, according to the Insurance Department. The new law does not set a minimum number of employees.

Fired workers shouldn’t be able to sue their bosses for employing an illegal immigrant, Democratic senators said Thursday.

The result would be a flood of lawsuits in a state that prides itself on allowing people to hire and fire for any reason, said Sen. Brad Hutto, who led the debate against a proposal supporters say will clamp down on illegal immigration. Allowing fired workers to sue for their job and lost wages if the business has an illegal worker — no matter why they’re fired — goes against South Carolina tradition, the Orangeburg Democrat said.

“Why we’re adding new grounds to file a lawsuit against employers in the wake of years of tort reform amazes me,” said Hutto, a defense lawyer. “Some of my brothers will take that and run with it, and you’ll see some lawsuits you don’t expect.”

The provision is part of the illegal immigration bill passed last month by the House. The Senate is expected to amend the House version.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell said the fear of getting sued would dissuade businesses from hiring illegals.

The bills would also require businesses to either check the status of their employees through a federal verification program or hire people with a valid driver’s license, and create a felony for hiding or transporting illegal workers.

Debate is expected to continue Tuesday.

Associated Press