COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Legislation that would deregulate telephone companies will lead to higher phone bills for rural businesses in South Carolina, a small business advocate group said Monday. The South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce estimates there will be rate increases of up to 115 percent for small businesses, which purchase service from […]
Small business chamber fights phone deregulation Read More »
By Jerry Belune, Lexington County Chronicle State officials and business leaders are questioning state plans to spend $32.2 million on voting machines from an out-of-state company. Sen. Jake Knotts wants to know why the state would buy the machines from Election Systems and Software of Omaha, Neb., when slightly higher bid was submitted by a South
$32.2 million buy a bad deal for the state? Read More »
by Jerry Bellune, Lexington County Chronicle Published May 13, 2004 A state official has criticized a proposed law to restrict consumers’ rights and expand phone companies’ freedom to raise rates. Acting state consumer advocate Elliott Elam said the bill would strip the state Public Service Commission of authority to regulate “bundled” services from BellSouth. The PSC
Bill would hurt phone customers, official says Read More »
by Jim Davenport, Associated Press BellSouth and other telephone companies would get a break from regulations that they say make it more difficult for them to bundle services and compete under a House bill that cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday. The bill affects nearly every BellSouth customer in the state and opponents say it
Phone service deregulation bill clears Senate Judiciary Read More »
by Rudolph Bell, Greenville News Consumers’ rights to complain to state regulators about poor telephone service would be restricted while phone companies’ latitude in setting prices would expand under legislation making its way through the General Assembly, according to the state’s acting consumer advocate. The bill would remove the state Public Service Commission from regulating
Bill may mute citizens’ voices on phone service Read More »
State Agencies Competing With Business Important Vote This Tuesday The House Judiciary Committee will vote Tuesday (4/20) on H.4739, which sets a state policy of state agencies not producing goods or services and offering them to the private sector in competition with businesses. The bill does not prohibit agencies from producing goods or services for
Legislative Action Alert! Read More »
Published in The Wall Street Journal The most-favored-nation clauses have proven so constricting in South Carolina that “even large insurers can find it hard” to enter or remain in the market, according to the S.C. Medical Association, which represents the state’s physicians. National health insurer Cigna, which said it does not have any most-favored-nation contracts
Advanced Insurance Management (“AIM”) was commissioned by the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce to perform a study regarding the impact on the Workers’ Compensation insurance costs of small employers from the operation of the South Carolina Second Injury Fund (“SCSIF”). Accordingly, AIM researched how the South Carolina Second Injury Fund operates, and reviewed
Unregulated Telecommunication Monopolies Not Good For Small Businesses The Public Service Commission and The SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce fear the return of un-regulated telecommunication monopolies if the Senate passes House Bill 4656 without amendments. The bill would allow local telephone companies to offer bundled services (i.e. business line plus voice mail, call waiting,
Legislative Action Alert & Update Read More »
by Frank Knapp, Jr., The State Complying with state regulations is a time-consuming and expensive proposition for businesses and citizens. Essentially, these regulations are nothing more than laws from our state government that must be followed. But, unlike legislation that is passed by our elected leaders in the General Assembly, regulations written by government employees
Regulations should need Legislature’s OK Read More »
