Local senators try to keep ban

Friday, April 21, 2000 | 10:04 a.m.

The House passed a ban a few weeks into the 1999 legislative session, but action in the Senate stalled when Charleston legislators questioned whether it would interfere with cruise ships that dock there.

The liners' trips to other ports from Charleston are protected by federal law, but it is their "cruises to nowhere" that state Sen. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, wants to protect.

The House decided a clause protecting cruise lines would be unconstitutional. So Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach, is proposing a provision that would allow local governments to opt out of a statewide ban.

The proposal exempts certain "commercial passenger vessels" with dining and sleeping facilities for every passenger and that make voyages of 12 hours or more or travel to a variety of ports outside the state.

"Our County Council will not change a statewide ban," Sen. Luke Rankin, D-Myrtle Beach, said. "We're the only ones affected here and if he (McConnell) needs a cruise ship exception we'll give him one because we want to get rid of the casino boats."

Sen. Greg Ryberg, R-Aiken, said he didn't like the local option proposal.

The session adjourned with an agreement for the Charleston and Horry senators and Ryberg to keep working on the wording and finish debate Tuesday.

Elliott said if suitable wording for a cruise line exemption can be found, the local option won't be needed.

"We don't want to destroy the growing luxury cruise ship business," he said.

A federal court ruled casino boats can operate cruises to nowhere for gambling from South Carolina ports because the state did not pass a specific ban. State officials said they thought existing anti-gambling laws were sufficient.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld South Carolina on appeal, but one of the casino boat operators sued in state court and won. The state has appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court.