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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Joseph H. Jefferson Jr. (b. May 31, 1947) is a Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 102. He was first elected to the chamber in 2004.

Jefferson earned his B.S. from Claflin University in 1970. He went on to attend the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Magistrate School in 1999. Jefferson was a Specialist Assistant for Congressman Mendel Davis from 1972 to 1980. He then worked for the Department of Transportation from 1994 to 1998. He is currently employed as a Real Estate Investor.

Jefferson served as Chairman of the Berkeley County School Board from 1982 to 1993. He has also served as Magistrate Judge for Berkeley County.

Education

  • Attended, South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Magistrate School, 1999
  • BS, Claflin University, 1970

Professional Experience

  • Attended, South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Magistrate School, 1999
  • BS, Claflin University, 1970
  • Former Magistrate Judge, Berkeley County
  • Employed, Department of Transportation, 1994-1998
  • Specialist Assistant, Congressman Mendel Davis, 1972-1980

Political Experience

  • Attended, South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Magistrate School, 1999
  • BS, Claflin University, 1970
  • Former Magistrate Judge, Berkeley County
  • Employed, Department of Transportation, 1994-1998
  • Specialist Assistant, Congressman Mendel Davis, 1972-1980
  • Representative, South Carolina State House of Representatives, District 102, 2005-present
  • Candidate, South Carolina State House of Representatives, District 102, 2018, 2020

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee, South Carolina State House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Administration and Regulations, South Carolina State House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Local Government and Corrections Affairs, South Carolina State House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Chair, Educational and Cultural Subcommittee

Member, Labor, Commerce, and Industry Commerce

Member, Legislative Oversight Committee

Member, Subcommittee on Banking and Consumer Affairs

Member, Subcommittee on Business and Commerce

Member, Subcommittee on Public Utilities

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • Attended, South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Magistrate School, 1999
  • BS, Claflin University, 1970
  • Former Magistrate Judge, Berkeley County
  • Employed, Department of Transportation, 1994-1998
  • Specialist Assistant, Congressman Mendel Davis, 1972-1980
  • Representative, South Carolina State House of Representatives, District 102, 2005-present
  • Candidate, South Carolina State House of Representatives, District 102, 2018, 2020
  • Member, Sixth District Highway Commission
  • Chair, Berkeley County School Board, 1982-1993

Other Info

Date of Wedding Anniversary:

May 30, 1970

Policy Positions

South Carolina State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test

Abortion and Reproductive

1. Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
- Yes

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- Yes

7. Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
- Yes

8. Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, and Tax

State Spending

Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Greatly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Increase

3. Environment
- Greatly Increase

4. Health care
- Greatly Increase

5. Law enforcement
- Greatly Increase

6. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Greatly Increase

7. Welfare
- Greatly Increase

8. Other or expanded categories
- Maintain Status

State Taxes

Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Slightly Increase

2. Cigarette taxes
- Greatly Increase

3. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Increase

4. Gasoline taxes
- Slightly Increase

5. Property taxes
- Slightly Increase

6. Sales taxes
- Slightly Increase

7. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Maintain Status

8. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- Maintain Status

9. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Greatly Increase

10. Other or expanded categories
- Maintain Status

Budget Stabilization

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing South Carolina's budget.

1. Tapping into South Carolina's "rainy day" fund
- No

2. Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders
- Yes

3. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No

4. Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees
- No

5. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No

6. Privatizing certain government services
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?

1. Individual
- Yes

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- Yes

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime and Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
- Yes

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- No

6. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

2. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes

3. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

4. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

5. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

6. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support national education standards?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams?
- Yes

3. Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

5. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

6. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from South Carolina high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- Yes

3. Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for improvements to South Carolina's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

5. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes

6. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a license for gun possession?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
- No

5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

6. Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in South Carolina?
- No

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- No

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- Yes

2. Should South Carolina allow same-sex couples to form civil unions?
- No

3. Do you support the establishment of an official State Day of Prayer?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for stem cell research?
- Yes

5. Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research?
- Yes

6. Do you support the state's use of affirmative action?
- No Answer

7. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in South Carolina's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

8. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in South Carolina's anti-discrimination laws?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- More funding for public education K-12.More fuding for Roads and Bridges.More job opportunities for all. A penny tax increase in South Carolina would generate $480,000,000. This would eliminate most of our problems. Also increasing automobile sales tax on cars costing over $50,000.00.

State Bills