MEET BRAD HUTTO
State Senator Brad Hutto has served in the South Carolina State Senate since 1996, representing District 40. His district includes Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton, and Orangeburg.
Senator Hutto is from the Providence Community near Holly Hill in eastern Orangeburg County, where he grew up on his family’s dairy farm. In 1978, Brad Hutto graduated, magna cum laude, from the Honors Program at the University of South Carolina with a B.A. degree. At age 23, he graduated with a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC in 1981. He is a partner at Williams and Williams in Orangeburg, SC, and an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina Honors College.
In the Senate, he has championed women’s access to reproductive care. He was one of the leading voices against Republican efforts to ban abortion in South Carolina, and continues to fight to ensure women have access to the health care they need and deserve. Senator Hutto has delivered for our rural communities, with millions to improve roads, schools and parks. He also led the effort to secure the funding for the Barnwell-Bamberg Emergency Medical Center to ensure no one is left without good health care options.
Outside of the Senate, he is an active member of the Orangeburg community. He is an Eagle Scout, a Vigil Honor Member of the Order of the Arrow, and a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award, the Founder’s Award and the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Indian Waters Council, BSA and was its president from 2009-2011. During the 100th year anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America in 2010, he was named to the BSA Centennial Leadership Hall of Fame by the council.
In addition, Senator Hutto has received the following awards during his time in public service:
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Legislator of the Year Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, and 2014).
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Champion of Choice by Planned Parenthood (2022)
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Planned Parenthood (2019)
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Green Tie Award
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Legislator of the Year Award from the South Carolina Association of Counties (2002 and 2011)
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Legislator of the Year, South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association (2011)
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Legislator of the Year, South Carolina Solicitors’ Association
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Legislator of the Year, South Carolina Public Health Association (2004)
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Legislator of the Year, South Carolina Farm Bureau.
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Legislative Advocacy Award from the Greenville Hospital System Children’s Hospital Development Council (2012)
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Barbara W. Moxon Advocacy Award from Planned Parenthood (2011)
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Golden Palmetto Award from the South Carolina Cable Television Association (2008)
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He has also received honors from:
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South Carolina Rural Health Association (2000)
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South Carolina School Nurses (2002)
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Claflin University (2000)
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South Carolina Medical Association (2009)
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South Carolina Tobacco Collaborative (2010)
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South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (2011)
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Friends of the Edisto (2012)
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Brad Hutto is married to Dr. Tracy Macpherson, a pediatrician at The Pediatric Clinic in Orangeburg. They have one son, Skyler who also practices law at Williams and Williams and resides in Orangeburg, SC with his wife Lindsay.
THE ISSUES
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Women's Acess to HealthcareSenator Hutto has been a champion for women and believes that women have a fundamental right to good quality health care options, including abortion access. He led the effort to block attempt after attempt from extreme Republicans to ban abortion in South Carolina, and continues to fight to ensure women have access to the care they need. Senator Hutto is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 1121, which would codify access to IVF.
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EducationSenator Hutto got into public service because he knew we could do better for our kids and our schools. He knows the quality of our schools affects everything else we do – workforce development, infrastructure improvements, and our quality of life. To this day, he continues to fight for a school system that puts our kids first by increasing funding, raising teacher pay, and fighting for universal pre-k. Senator Hutto has delivered millions in funding for building repairs for our local schools, and was a leader in raising teacher pay. He was the primary sponsor of the bill that opened up technical college for young people in South Carolina, which allowed virtually every student to attend technical college for free. Simply graduating high school is no longer enough for young people today. He is fighting to improve our technical colleges and job training so everyone can fulfill their potential, no matter the career path they choose.
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Rural Health CareSenator Hutto believes every person in South Carolina deserves high quality, affordable health care. He has worked hard to expand the CHIPS program, which is now covering more than 80% of the children in the state. Additionally, he has worked hard to bring good health care options to rural communities in the state. In the 1960s, every small town in South Carolina had a doctor and every county had a hospital. Now, many small towns and rural communities are at times 2-3 hours away from access to care. Times have changed, and the health care system needs to adapt. Senator Hutto led the effort to get the money to build the Barnwell Bamberg Emergency Medical Center to help close the gap between health care coverage in the rural parts of the district.
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Economic Development and Rural JobsUnfortunately, too many people are leaving rural South Carolina for bigger cities, better jobs, and high pay potential. Senator Hutto knows that we need to do more to bring good, high-paying jobs to rural South Carolina so young people can stay and live in the communities where they were raised. He has worked hard to expand the job training programs in the technical colleges throughout the district and is working to bring more jobs to rural South Carolina.
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ChildrenChildren don’t get to make choices as it relates to their safety. We have to do more to protect our young people, and Senator Hutto has been hard at work doing just that. He has been a leader on child safety laws, making sure the requirements for car seats and safety processes in our cars are as up to date as possible, protecting our children. He has also been recognized as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Legislator of the Year more than 6 times for his efforts to keep our young people safe.
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EnvironmentBetween hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities, our way of life revolves around the outdoors and the natural environment. The more we do to protect the environment, the more we are doing to promote our economy, our daily activities, and our future. Senator Hutto has secured funding to improve river landings throughout Orangeburg County that allow more people to experience the river, and the outdoors.
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Jasper PortAttracting new jobs to South Carolina requires us to think about our future. Senator Hutto knows if we are going to compete with local ports, we need to build a port in Jasper County to access the world economy. He has secured millions for the port project - building the port is a major priority for Senator Hutto.