Press

By James D. McWilliams, The State The cost of business phone lines could rise quickly in rural areas if lawmakers approve a bill pending before the state Senate, an advocacy group for small businesses said Monday. The bill would reduce state regulation of local phone companies for many customers. Under the bill, several small, rural […]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editorial, GSABusiness (The editorial below concerns H.4739, which was introduced at the request of The SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce.) A new legislative initiative will serve as a watchdog for private businesses against unfair competition by taxpayer supported public agencies. House bill 4739, backed by 29 members of the SC House of Representatives, would

by Tanya Fogg Young, The State Some critics of the Columbia Hilton convention center hotel said Friday the city is wrong to pursue financing through state-sourced bonds intended to spur development in more economically distressed areas. Four organizations, including the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce, on Friday questioned Columbia’s efforts to use Jobs-Economic Development