Legislation sets up potential veto fight over bars operating during pandemic
NEXT FEW HOURS, DO I KEEP PEOPLE
ON CALL?
>> AND WHILE THOSE OWNERS ARE
WORRIED ABOUT THEIR OWN
ECONOMIES THERE IS A LOT MORE
THAN ECONOMICS BEHIND THIS BILL.
WE ARE JOINING YOU LIVE WITH A
BEING LIKE AT THE POLITICS THAT
ALSO PLAYED OUT IN THIS MOVE.
LAURA?
WE'RE IN THE IDEA OF
LETTING THESE BARS OPEN IN THESE
AREAS BUT THE RESPONSE TO THE
BILL INCLUDED LANGUAGE THAT
WOULD LIMIT THE POWER OF LOCAL
AUTHORITIES TO CLOSE DOWN BARS
AND RESTAURANTS EVEN IF THERE IS
A RISE IN CASES.
AND THAT'S WHAT
TURNS THIS INTO A PARTISAN ISSUE
TODAY.
>> Reporter: THE BILL WOULD
LIMIT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER TO
CLOSE DOWN BARS AND RESTAURANTS
IF THE PANDEMIC GETS WORSE AND
SAYS LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
CANNOT BLOCK BARS AND
RESTAURANTS FROM OPERATING IN
OUT DOOR AREAS.
AT HIS PRESS
CONFERENCE, THE GOVERNOR SAYS
THE BILL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
HARM PUBLIC HEALTH.
>> THIS LEGISLATION WOULD MEAN
EVEN IF THERE IS A SURGE
COVID-19, THAT WOULD OVERWHELM
OUR HOSPITALS, THAT BARS STILL
STAY OPEN.
I KNOW IT IS A TOUGH
TIME FOR BUSINESS AND I BELIEVE
THAT THERE WILL BE A TIME WHEN
WE CAN OPEN BARS, BUT THAT TIME
IS NOT NOW.
>> WHILE MOST SENATE DEMOCRATS
VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE BILL, ALL
BUT ONE HOUSE DEMOCRAT VOTED
AGAINST IT, SAYING THE STATE IS
SEEING RECORD NUMBERS OF
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS
TODAY.
STILL HOUSE SPEAKER TIM
MOORE SAYS HE BELIEVES IT'S
MOSTLY A PROBLEM IN LIVING
FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY SPREAD
ISN'T THAT COMMON.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT SOUTH
CAROLINA'S NUMBERS THEY'RE NOT
TERRIBLY DIFFERENT THAN NORTH
CAROLINA'S, BUT THEY'VE BEEN
MORE OPEN LONGER THAN NORTH
CAROLINA.
>> Reporter: PUBLIC HEALTH
EXPERTS SAY BARS ARE MORE LIKELY
TO BE HOT SPOTS BECAUSE PEOPLE
MINGLE AND TALK CLOSELY AND
LOUDLY AND MAY NOT MAKE THE BEST
DECISIONS, BUT MOORE THINKS IT'S
SAFE TO REOPEN BARS IN OUTDOOR
SPACES WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING
JUST LIKE RESTAURANTS.
>> WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS IT
NEEDS TO MAKE SENSE.
I DON'T SEE
THE REASON WHY YOU WOULD TREAT
ONE BUSINESS DIFFERENT THAN
ANOTHER.
>> Reporter: MOORE PREDICTED A
SIMILAR BILL TO REOPEN GYMS AND
OTHER BURGLARIES NEXT WEEK AND
SAYS PEOPLE NEED TO GET BACK TO
WORK.
>> WIRE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY
TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR TO
BUILD CONSENSUS, BUT WHERE WE
DISAGREE, WE'LL DO SO
RESPECTFULLY, BUT AS PART OF THE
CHECKS AND BALANCES OUR RIGHTS
AS A LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AND WILL
CONTINUE TO DO SO.
>> Reporter: THE GOVERNOR IS
EXPECTED TO VETO THE BILL AND
HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL NEED
SEVEN HOUSE DEMOCRATS TO VOTE
WITH THEM IN ORDER TO PRODUCE AN
OVERRIDE VOTE.
ONLY TWO
DEMOCRATS VOTED FOR THE MEASURE
TODAY, DAVID?