State lawmakers have lots of excuses to downplay a new Policy Council study showing legislators recorded just 25 percent of their votes this year. In other words, 3 of every 4 votes taken by legislators were in secret with no record kept.
The latest reason lawmakers have for not recording votes is that they are just too busy. One lawmaker even openly complained he doesn't 'see the point' because he thinks instituting the type of real accountability and transparency other states take for granted would grind the General Assembly to a halt.
In reality, South Carolina is one of just nine states that don't require a recorded vote on EVERY bill passed into law. Those 41 other states seem to function just fine. The S.C. House even has an electronic voting system already in place -- all legislators have to do is push yes or no.
So what are lawmakers doing now that keeps them too busy to record votes when passing laws and raising taxes?
Please watch the short 3-minute video embedded within this story. It is a short compilation of a typical day at the Statehouse. Then decide for yourself how busy they are.
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