Journal of the Senate
of the First Session of the 111th General Assembly
of the State of South Carolina
being the Regular Session Beginning Tuesday, January 10, 1995
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Printed Page 2840, May 17
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Printed Page 2850 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
The necessary two-thirds vote having been received, the veto of
the Governor was overridden, and a message was sent to the House accordingly.
REPORT RECEIVED
BANKING AND INSURANCE COMMITTEE
TO: The Clerk of the Senate
The Clerk of the House
FROM: C. Tyrone Courtney, Chairman
Jt. Legislative Screening Committee to Review Candidates
for the SC Consumer Affairs Commission
DATE: May 17, 1995
In compliance with the provisions of Act No. 119, 1975 S.C. Acts 122, it is
respectfully requested that the following information be printed in the Journals
of the Senate and the House.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/Senator C. Tyrone Courtney, Chairman
/s/Senator Robert W. Hayes, Jr.
/s/Senator Glenn G. Reese
/s/Senator Dick Elliott
/s/Representative George Bailey
/s/Representative James N. Law
/s/Representative Teddy N. Trotter
/s/Representative Lucille S. Whipper
The Screening Process
Pursuant to Act No. 119 of 1975 and Act. No. 181 of 1993, this Committee has
considered the qualifications of candidates seeking election to vacancy No. 3 of
the South Carolina Consumer Affairs Commission.
The Committee's report includes the Transcript of the Proceedings before the
Screening Committee on May 10, 1995. The Transcript does not include all
exhibits offered by candidates or witnesses at the hearing because of the length
of some exhibits. Exhibits which are not reproduced as a part of the Transcript
may be viewed in the Office of the Banking and Insurance Committee (Room 203 of
the Gressette Building), since these exhibits were reviewed and considered by
the Committee in making its findings.
Printed Page 2851 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
TRANSCRIPT OF HEARING OF MAY 10, 1995
THE CHAIRMAN: Okay, we're going to go ahead and start our meeting here and we
want to welcome all of your here and appreciate your coming. We appreciate your
being willing to serve. When we do these screening committees, I want you to
understand that we're not trying to rate you as far as your ability and so
forth, merely to see that you're qualified to be a candidate. And it's not
going to be something that you're going to feel like you've been put through the
fire today. We've looked at your applications and each one of you look to be
very well qualified and very good people. What we want to do though is ask you
some questions. Most of the questions are kind of formal. We will ask you some
questions, we hope they won't offend you, we've got to ask you if you have a
criminal record and things like that. We have to ask everybody those questions.
I hope you understand that. To be fair to everyone, we'd like to take them in
alphabetical order and then have the others outside the room while we're asking
one so you don't hear the questions and so forth, which would be an unfair
advantage. Room 203, around the corner here, I think the Sergeant maybe can
show you where that is. We will let the others stay there as we question.
Ms. Bloom, you're first in the alphabet, so we'll take you first and go
through on that line. Have a seat around there, we'll be with you very
soon.
COURT REPORTER: I need to know his name, please.
THE CHAIRMAN: His name is James Law, House Member.
Ms. Bloom, I need to put you under oath, would you raise your right hand for
me, please?
MS. BLOOM, being duly sworn testifies as follows:
PERSONAL DATA QUESTIONNAIRE SUMMARY
1. Lillian C. Bloom
Home Address:
2207 Wade Hampton Blvd, Apt. C-205
Greenville, S.C. 29615
2. She was born in New York, New York on 11/12/20. She is presently 74 years
old. Social Security Number: ***-**-****.
5. She was married to Jack L. Bloom on October 19, 1963.
Printed Page 2852 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
7. Education: Hunter College, A.B. 1941 (New York City).
New York University, M.A. 1952 (New York City).
8. She is presently serving on the S.C. Consumer Affairs Commission and
wishes to seek re-election. She was elected by the General Assembly on
May 27, 1992. Her term expires June 30, 1995.
9. CIVIC, CHARITABLE, RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, AND FRATERNAL
ORGANIZATIONS: Greenville Hospital Center Advisory Committee, Board member
(1974-1979), Chairman (1979-1982); Senior Center, Board Member
(1979-1982); Greenville County Council For Community Action (Now, Share),
Board Member (1970-1976); Head Start Health Advisory Committee, Chairman
(1972-1979); United Way, Budget Allocation panel (1975-1980); CETA, Member
(1981-1983), Served By Appointment of Governor; Greenville Free Medical
Clinic, Board Member (1987-1990); Greenville Chapter American Red Cross,
Board Member, Secretary (1990-Present); SC Appalachian Council of
Governments, Member, Area Advisory Council On Aging (1998-Present);
Greenville Literacy Association, Member, Tutor (1988- Present); Mental
Health Association, Greenville County, Board Member (1982-1988), Y.W.C.A.,
Board Member (1970- 1976) Member, Public Policy Committee(1990-Present),
Congregation Beth Israel, Board Member (1985-1989); Greenville Section,
National Council of Jewish Women, Board member (1965-Present); Furman
University Learning In Retirement, Curriculum Chairman (1993-Present).
10. CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW OF EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:
Medical Records Librarian - Beth Israel Hospital, New York City,
1942-1950.
Administrative Assistant - New York University Medical Center, 1950-1956.
Field Representative - National Council of Jewish Women, 1956-1966.
Director, Neighborhood Youth Corps - In School Program, Greenville county,
1966-1969.
Liaison Teacher Counselor, Children's Re-Education Center, Marshall I. Pickens
Hospital, 1969-1970.
21. Five (5) letters of recommendation: (1) Dr. Sarah Fletcher - FULIR
Coordinator, Furman University, (2) Michael J. Stogner - Director
Printed Page 2853 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
Area Agency on Aging, (3) Ann M. Sutton -American Red Cross,
Greenville Chapter, (4) Joanne E. Batson- Executive Director of YWCA in
Greenville, (5) Bessie M. Lee -Executive Director of Greenville, Literacy
Association, Inc., (6) Elaine Hallaert - Southern National Bank.
MS. BLOOM BEING EXAMINED BY MR. COURTNEY:
Q: Ms. Bloom, you are currently on the board at this time and probably have been
through this before, but we'll just go through the formal questions and see
if any of the members of the committee here have any questions for you.
First of all, do you or any members of your family own any contracts or do
business with the state or federal government?
A: No.
Q: And do you or any family member own or operate any business that receives
funds from the Consumer Affairs Department?
A: No.
Q: Have you ever been arrested, charged by any Federal or State law
enforcement?
A: No.
Q: Have you, to your knowledge, been under any Federal, State or local
investigation for possible violation of any statutory laws?
A: No.
Q: Have you ever been disciplined or cited for any breach of ethics or
unprofessional conduct by any court or association?
A: No.
Q: Are you now or have you now or have you ever been employed as a lobbyist or
acted as a lobbyist principal?
A: No.
Q: Is there any reason that you know of that would cause you difficulty in
performing your duties as a member of the Consumer Affairs Commission?
A: No, I have performed them for the last three years now. I have a perfect
record of attendance.
Q: I note that on here and I would like, at this time, to give you a few minutes
to tell us about your experiences on the Commission and why you would like to
continue.
A: It's been a wonderful experience for me and I think at the beginning I wasn't
quite sure what I was getting into but now I do know and I guess I'd like to
have it even more now than I did at that time. I'm particularly interested
in the education aspect of it, I guess that is my
Printed Page 2854 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
own sphere of expertise. A lot of it is very legalistic and
we've got a wonderful department to carry out the functions of the legal aspect
of the department, but it is in the area of education that I can be of great
help. As a matter of fact, the course of the last three years that I served, I
brought the public relations person to Greenville, I developed a course for...
at Furman, for retirees, bringing all the staff members together to tell them
their area of expertise and what the Consumer Affairs is all about. I'm on the
senior advisory committee for counsel of governments and we've had the public
affairs professional come and address that group. We always find that the aged
are very vulnerable. It was a particularly good presentation she made so that
the cog there is composed of six different counties and after that she was
invited to various counties to make a presentation.
Q: When you say you're working in education, are you talking about educating the
public?
A: Educating the public in regard to the problems that they may be confronted
with as a consumer. And I think it's been a wonderful experience for me. I
was very, I think, adept at up-dating the by-laws of the department, because
it seemed to me to have... itself on in terms of by-laws. And it has been a
very, I think, good experience for me and I think that the Consumer Affairs
Commission and the department has profited by my being part of it.
Q: I'm sure. What do you see as the primary purpose of the Consumer Affairs
Commission? What is it's purpose?
A: Well, probably the... I see several aspects, the advocacy role, the
informational aspects of it, the receiving of the various complaints from the
public which they try to adjudicate.
Q: How does it function in it's advocacy role?
A: Well, for example, they represent the public in front the utilities. The
BellSouth right now, they're trying to see if they can reduce the rates in
terms of what BellSouth has earned and trying to return to the public some of
the funds. So that there are very many aspects of it and, of course, they
license athletic clubs, they license mortgage brokers, the continuing care
facilities and this is a very important aspect of the staff we've seen which
is rather new, licensing as aspect of it. So that if it's statutory or
whatever the legislature gives to the Consumer Affairs, they try to carry out
their duties.
Q: The commission, I think, is doing an admirable job over the years. How do
you feel that it's doing now and the changes?
Printed Page 2855 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
A: I think it's doing tremendously well, I think. The newly
elected executive director has been with the commission at the
least, I would imagine, since the middle of the eighties. He
was Steve Hamm's associate. He was a consumer advocate and
last year he as been the acting co-director, and I think he's
done an admirable job.
Q: Anything else that you want to tell us before we start into the
questions?
A: No, I don't think so. Be glad to answer what anybody's asking.
Q: For the benefit of the court reporter, she's needs to know who's seated
where. Representative George Bailey, Representative Teddy Trotter. Do any
of the members of the committee have any questions for Ms. Bloom?
MR. BAILEY: I have just a couple of comments I'd like to
make.
THE CHAIRMAN: Okay, go ahead.
MS. BLOOM BEING EXAMINED BY MR. BAILEY:
Q: Ms. Lillian, I'm fortunate, I believe, to be on the committee that heard you
one time before. I just want to tell you, your attendance record that I
looked at earlier today was superb I wish that probably all the commissioners
that we had appointed would have an attendance record such as this. And I
don't mean anything derogatory, but I want to tell you something. I hope and
pray that if I live to be seventy-four that I'm as active as you are.
A: Well, that's what keeps you young.
Q: That's all I've got to say. I'm impressed with your attendance record. I
think that's great. It shows that you care about your job.
A: I do. I make that second Tuesday of the month, that's my prime
responsibility.
MS. BLOOM BEING EXAMINED BY MS. WHIPPLE:
Q: I would certainly also like to commend you for that record. We don't see
that very often so we're quite pleased. I would also like to commend you for
using the information that you have gained by this experience in starting the
course. About what was the average attendance?
A: At the course?
Q: Yes.
A: Well, we had... we must have had about twenty registrants and, I think, were
very faithful in their attendance and that was a very bad ... the weather was
terrible and it was an early scheduled course and that's what the commission
wanted, but they made it there. And it was a ten week course and every week
there was another member of the staff who came to address the forum, and
brought materials. I
Printed Page 2856 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
thought it proved a very valuable course for them. I would like
to see it... as a matter of fact, I just came back from Charleston where we had
a regional convention on institutes for learning in retirement and they were
very impressed with this kind of course. And I think the College of Charleston
looked at it and perhaps later will be putting on something similar to
that.
Q: That's what I wanted to know, if it would be something that could be
continued...
A: Oh, absolutely can.
Q: ... or something that the Commission could follow through with.
A: You know, sometimes these groups aren't aware of some of the resources that
we have in this state and the only way that we become aware is that someone
gets to them as they go in to make some kind of presentation. As a matter of
fact, there was a brochure that the department just issued and I gave it to
some of them, and I said, you know, to the Georgia group for example they
came to join our group, I asked them would they see if they had a similar
department or commission in Georgia or if not, even the aspects that were
printed in that brochure were so good, perhaps to just be able to get the
individuals who can speak on these things. And, like I say, I was
particularly concerned when the older adult, the elderly we become so
vulnerable to some of the scams.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other questions?
MS. BLOOM BEING RE-EXAMINED BY MR. COURTNEY:
Q: Ms. Bloom I would like to ask you, because of the position you have held, do
you have any recommendations or any ways that we can improve what the
Consumer Affairs Commission does?
A: I really... I'm so impressed with the staff that they do a good public
information program. It's interesting that in Charleston, yesterday, or the
day before, I went to Charleston then I went to Columbia yesterday for the
Commission meeting and came back today. But early in the morning there was
the senior report, I don't even know what station it was on, I just turned
the television on in the hotel, and they were cautioning the older adult, and
this was a television promotional, how to avoid some of the telemarketing
scams. And I though this might be something that we could advocate to the
other communities, certainly in Greenville or... and I conveyed this to our
public relations staff members. I think that's one of the most important
things, that not enough people in the state are aware of what the Consumer
Affairs department is able to do and I think
Printed Page 2857 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
promoting that aspect is one of the most important
recommendations that I would have.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other questions?
THE BOARD: No.
THE CHAIRMAN: Ms. Bloom, we appreciate your service and appreciate your wanting
to serve. The Commission will file a report at some time within the future and
let you know. I think elections are scheduled for May 25th, but until the
reports are filed on the floors of the House and the Senate, you cannot solicit
any commitments.
A: Well can I send out letters just soliciting support. I realize I can't get
any commitments.
THE CHAIRMAN: You can send out letters stating that you are a candidate, but
you cannot ask for any kind of commitment or support from anyone until the
report has been filed on the floor of the House and the Senate.
A: And about when does that take place?
THE CHAIRMAN: Well, we're not really sure.
A: There are only two weeks.
THE CHAIRMAN: Yes. We'll get those out as soon as we can, I promise you
that.
A: All right.
MR. BAILEY: Let me follow up, Ms. Bloom. I'm sure you heard what Mr. Chairman
said. You surely can send a letter out to everybody just letting them know that
you have been through screening.
A: Okay.
MR. BAILEY: But, you are a candidate seeking re-election. That you cannot
solicit votes but you want to let them know that you are running for
re-election.
A: Oh, I realize that.
MR. BAILEY: But in your letter a copy of your attendance record. That's
important.
A: All right.
MR. BAILEY: Might surprise you.
A: Thank you.
THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you Ms. Bloom, you're free to go.
A: Am I? Thank you so much.
THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Would you get Mr. Hinton for us, please? (speaking
to the Sergeant)
(OFF THE RECORD)
THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Hinton, if you would just have a seat there and make yourself
comfortable, please. Mr. Hinton, we we're going to need
Printed Page 2858 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
to ask you some questions, some formal questions that we ask
everybody and then once we finish with that we'll open the floor for any of the
members of the committee may have some questions for you. It should be very
simple and as I said before, I don't intend to put you through fire or anything
like that but we do need to ask the necessary questions. Before I begin, I need
to put you under oath. Would you raise your right hand for me please, sir?
MR. HINTON, being duly sworn testifies as follows:
PERSONAL DATA QUESTIONNAIRE SUMMARY
1. James H. Hinton
Home Address:
5 Sedgewood Court
N. Augusta, SC 29841
2. He was born 10/19/32 in Baltimore, Md. He is presently 62 years old.
Social Security #: ***-**-****.
5. He was married on 6/28/58 to Sara Margaret Harper Hinton. They have two
children, Margaret Ellen Hinton Harper - age 33 and Henry Edward Hinton -
age 31.
7. Education: Norman Park College, Norman Park, Ga. 1950-52. Auburn Univ.,
Auburn, Ala. 1952-1954 - BSChE. Auburn Univ., Auburn, Ala. 1954-1955 -
MSChE
9. Organizations: Boy Scouts - Scout Master, etc. Presbyterian Church USA -
Deacon and Elder
10. Chronological review of employment history:1956-1989, DuPont, Savannah
River Plant. 1989-1994, Westinghouse SRP.
21. Five (5) names of references: Rodney Ingle, Security Federal,
N. Augusta; Perjetta K. Smith; R.M. Smith; Charles I. Goodwin; Rodney W.
Scherr; Joanne S. Folger; Mim Woodring.
MR. HINTON BEING EXAMINED BY MR. COURTNEY:
Q: Mr. Hinton, do you or any member of your family own or operate any business
which contracts with the State or Federal government?
A: No, we do not.
Printed Page 2859 . . . . . Thursday, May 18,
1995
Q: Do you or any member of your family operate any business which
receives funds from the Consumer Affairs?
A: No, we do not.
Q: Have you ever been arrested, charged or held by any Federal or State law
enforcement authority for violation of any State or Federal or local law?
A: No, sir.
Q: Have you, to your knowledge, ever been under a Federal, State or local
investigation for possible violations of criminal statutes?
A: No, I have not.
Q: Have you ever been disciplined or cited for breach of ethics for
unprofessional conduct by any court, agency association or professional
group?
A: No, I have not.
Q: Are you now or have you ever been employed as a lobbyist or acting in the
capacity as a lobbyist principal?
A: No, sir.
Q: Do you know of any other legal reason why you might have difficulty
performing the duties of this elected position?
A: No, I haven't.
Q: Mr. Hinton, we have your application and information that you have provided
and it is certainly impressive, and we would like to give you some time now
to tell us about yourself and what you... why you're interested in the
Consumer Affairs Commission and how you feel like you could contribute to
that and serve the people of South Carolina.
A: Well, it was interesting, the notice came out in our local weekly newspaper
and I had heard that there was such a commission but I knew nothing about the
commission and started asking questions from various people in our area and
the Chamber of Commerce, our newspaper editor and so forth, and just got real
interested in it. As I gathered information on the commission and found out
what it did for the citizens of South Carolina. And then I thought that
well, my background and experience as an engineer for approximately
thirty-eight years and my work with volunteer, civic and religious
organizations, I felt that I was qualified and would be able to impact with
new ideas on the committee. I also, in talking with people in my community,
I found out that there was not very many of them that knew what the
commission did for them or could do for them. I mentioned the Chamber of
Commerce was no help, the local library was no help, the secretary of our
delegation was no help, so... and
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