Strong illegal immigration bill biggest legislative achievement

Legislation to stem the flow of illegal immigration into South Carolina is the major accomplishment of this year's session, just ended. South Carolina employers will no longer be able to wink at restrictions on hiring illegals, just because Congress has been unwilling to offer meaningful enforcement of existing laws.

The hard work by legislators, encouraged by the prodding of Gov. Mark Sanford, may actually encourage a similar federal response as other states also make their dissatisfaction clear. Thanks to their joint efforts, South Carolina will be leading the nation with one of the toughest laws on record.

The immigration bill represents a major achievement for Gov. Sanford, and his legislative allies who were responsible for passage of an identification system that would do more than duplicate the easily evaded verification system that is part of the federal law. Thanks to their persistence, the state will be able to fill the verification and enforcement vacuum left by the federal government.

As employers are discouraged from hiring illegals, incentives for the flow of illegal immigrants will dwindle. As House Speaker Bobby Harrell observed, "If the jobs dry up, there's no reason for them to stay."

Nevertheless, the state immigration law is no substitute for a workable federal law to deal with illegal immigrants — one that will make provision for them to become legal citizens. The bill recognizes, in the governor's words, that "while we're a nation of immigrants, we're also a nation of laws." Congress should be willing to acknowledge that fact and act accordingly.

Another legislative success was a change in the much-criticized PACT test required of students at year's end. The new test will provide more timely results, thereby enabling districts in their academic planning for the following school year.

But the Legislature failed to approve full funding for the regular replacement of school buses, leaving that long-needed initiative on the side of the road. Neither did its budget provide sufficient funding to the Department of Education for gasoline. The situation could get worse since every 8-cent per gallon rise costs the department another $1 million.

Gov. Sanford described the inadequate funding for fuel as deficit financing and contends it is unconstitutional under state law. He complained similarly about the Legislature's failure to provide the state prison system with the necessary funds to ensure its safe operation over the next fiscal year.

An alternative court plan sought by Attorney General Henry McMaster would have alleviated Corrections' problems by diverting some non-violent offenders from the prison system. At least the Legislature acknowledged the plan's potential by creating a study commission to review Mr. McMaster's plan and other sentencing options.

While the decline in state revenues in a tough economic year created a problem for the Legislature, it was able to maintain funding for a slush fund known as the competitive grants program to the tune of $18.4 million. When pet projects require money, legislators can still find ways to pay the tab.

The Legislature rejected the governor's efforts to improve the fiscal situation with selective vetoes. Unfortunately, it didn't override his veto of an increase in the state cigarette tax.

The result will be a loss of $159 million for needed health care and anti-smoking programs. Instead of approving a tax that would reduce cigarette use by thousands of smokers, South Carolina continues to have a rock-bottom cigarette tax of 7-cents a pack, compared to the national average of more than $1.

On the plus side, the Legislature did approve a plan from the governor's office that will enable small businesses to join together to offer medical insurance for employees.

And in the waning days of the session, the Legislature approved a timely response to the tragic fire in a Charleston furniture store that claimed the lives of nine firefighters.

It agreed to encourage the installation of sprinklers with tax credits from local government, matched by the state. Local governments should sign up for the plan at their earliest convenience.