Dear Friends,

The morning of September 25, 2013 was very busy for both Senator Tom Young and me. The North Augusta Chamber of Commerce invited us to speak at their monthly A.M. Connect Breakfast at 7:15 a.m. Our focus for the meeting was to address big issues coming up in the 2014 SC Legislative session including ethics reform, early voting, road funding/gas tax, tax reform, restructuring, Medicaid, school funding reform, retiree health insurance policies and texting while driving. We were able to answer a number of key questions and explain what is going on at the state level.

Directly after the breakfast, we were able to visit with the North Augusta First Baptist Church Kindergartners for their "See You at the Pole" prayer service. This is a nationwide event where young people take a moment to pray for their school and their nation. It was awesome to see young people embrace their faith.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – October 8, 2013

CSIdentity Corporation

On September 23, 2013 the State Budget and Control Board issued an Intent to Award a contract to CSIdentity Corporation (CSID) for the purpose of continuing credit monitoring/ID protection services to eligible individual tax payers (including minors and adult dependents) and eligible businesses affected by the October 2012 data breach of state computers.

As provided in state law, unless otherwise suspended or cancelled, the contract becomes effective on October 24, 2013. The initial term of the contract ends on October 31, 2014. The State of SC may renew the contract for four additional one year periods at its sole discretion.

CSID will  make available the following services to eligible individual participants, as applicable:

• Daily Transunion Credit Monitoring

• Change of Address Monitoring: Reports and monitors if and when an enrolled participant's mail has been redirected to a new address.

• Pay Day Loan Monitoring: Alerts enrolled participants if a pay day loan is established using their identity.

• Court and Criminal Records Monitoring: Tracks municipal court systems and alerts enrolled participants if a criminal act is committed using their identity.

• Social Security Number Trace: Monitors and notifies enrolled participants when fraudulent names, aliases, and addresses become associated with their social security number.

• Cyber Monitoring: Alerts enrolled participants to their information being bought/sold/traded in the online black market.

• Sex Offender Monitoring: Alerts enrolled participants of fraudulent use of their identities to register in sex offender registry and alerts to proximity of registered sex offenders in enrolled participants' immediate area.

• Child Identity Monitoring: Provides a report of all the names, addresses, and aliases found in public records associated with enrolled children's social security numbers. Also monitors for a child's information being bought/sold/traded in the online black market.

• Provides one million dollar identity theft insurance policy

• Provides full service identity restoration services to all eligible persons even if they have not enrolled in the CSID services.

CSID will make available the following services to eligible businesses, as applicable:

Expiration of Experian

Last year many of us signed up for the identity theft protection provided by the State of South Carolina through Experian. These services were good for one year of monitoring from the date you signed up for the service. Many of you have been getting emails over the last three weeks asking you to renew your service. Though SC paid all fees last year they will not be paying them for Experian this year since they are switching to CSID. If you choose to renew with Experian, you will have to pay the renewal out of your pocket. Some of these expenses may be deductible on your state income taxes. Visit www.sctax.org for the latest information.

Please be sure to stay up to date with all that is going on in Columbia. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, I am always available.