First-term Senator Ed Sutton talks liquor liability, energy and childcare access

Senator Ed Sutton, an active reserve Air Force pilot, experienced his first session in the legislature that turned out to be more contentious than usual. He tells podcast host Frank Knapp that his Charleston district probably has more bars and restaurants than any other and he wanted to help them with the rising cost of liquor liability insurance. He did vote to pass the bill that largely addressed the issue but says that if his constituent small businesses do not see premium relief soon that he and others will have to revisit the issue. Senator Sutton says that he voted against the big energy bill that passed because provisions that protected consumers from paying for energy costs driven by data centers and a requirement that data centers report how much water they are using were stricken from the bill. He also is a co-sponsor of a bill to increase childcare access in the state by providing higher tax credits to businesses and individuals for using childcare centers.