Legislative Update
March 20, 2009
BUDGET
Budget Subcommittees of the Senate Finance Committee continued to meet this week.
On Tuesday, the Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee adopted three provisos requested by Clemson that allow Clemson Regulatory Services to raise revenues from fertilizer inspection fees, lime inspection fees, and non-commercial pesticide applicator licensing fees. Funds generated from these fees will be used to maintain the services of the Agriculture Services Lab and the Fertilizer Inspection Program.
The Subcommittee also adopted provisos that require Clemson PSA to maintain the Boll Weevil Eradication Program and the State Meat Inspection Program. These two provisos were not requested by Clemson.
The Higher Education Subcommittee also met this week to hear from several colleges and universities and to consider provisos. The Subcommittee adopted a proviso that gives higher education institutions flexibility to manage mandatory furloughs. They also adopted a proviso that would allow the University Center in Greenville to assess participating institutions a per credit hour fee to offset budget cuts.
Clemson, along with USC and MUSC will make a budget presentation to a joint meeting of the Senate Education Committee and the Higher Education Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee on March 25th.
The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to debate the budget the week of March 31st.
Natural Resources and Economic Development Subcommittee
Senator Yancey McGill – Chairman
Senator Larry Grooms
Senator Ronnie Cromer
Senator Ralph Anderson
Higher Education Subcommittee
Senator John Courson – Chairman
Senator Danny Verdin
Senator Darrell Jackson
Senator Dick Elliott
The Budget and Control Board met on Wednesday and voted to cut 2% across the board for the current year for all state agencies in response to The Board of Economic Advisors action to lower the estimate for FY08-09 revenues.
HOT BILLS
H.3013 – Representative Limehouse and others – A bill to increase the penalty for removing or destroying fences or gates that enclose animals, crops or uncultivated land – pending in the House Judiciary Committee.
H.3104 – Representatives Murrell Smith and Joan Brady – A bill to create a SC College and University Board of Regents – pending in the House Education and Public Works Committee.
H.3147 – Representative Garry Smith and others – A bill to restructure state government by creating a Department of Administration – pending in the House Judiciary Committee.
H.3584 – Representative Harrell and others – A bill to raise the cigarette tax by 50 cents per pack – pending in the House Ways and Means Committee.
H.3365 – Representative Cooper – This bill provides regulatory reform for the state supported research universities and the four year comprehensive institutions in SC. This bill is a collaborative effort by these institutions to propose regulatory reform in the areas of human resources, facilities, finance and procurement – pending in the Budget and Finance Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee.
H.3378 – Representative Cooper and others – A bill to provide for the terms and conditions of mandatory state agency furlough programs – given a favorable report by the Senate Finance Committee.
H. 3397 – Representative Garry Smith and others – A bill to set an annual spending limit on the appropriation of state general fund revenues and establish a spending limit reserve fund– pending in the House Ways and Means Committee.
H.3415 – Representative Harrell and others – A bill to establish the SC Tax Realignment Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of the state’s tax system – pending in the House Ways and Means Committee.
S.1 – Senator McConnell and others – A Joint Resolution to amend the SC Constitution to establish spending limits and establish a budget stabilization fund – given a favorable report by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
S.2 – Senator McConnell and others – This bill implements an annual limit on the appropriation of state general fund revenues – pending in the Senate Finance Committee
S.12 – Senator Leatherman and others – This bill creates the Taxation Realignment Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of the state’s tax system – pending in the House Ways and Means Committee.
S.84 – Senator Ford – A bill that would allow arrest warrants to be made available for public inspection and copying without a written request if the requestor appears in person – tabled by a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee.
S. 147 – Senators Campsen and Elliot – A bill to require the passage of a joint resolution prior allowing a bond authorization prior to the introduction and passage of a bill or joint resolution to authorize bonds for a given year – given an unfavorable report by the Sales and Income Taxation Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee.
S.182 – Senator Setzler and others – This bill is similar to S.12 and creates a permanent Tax Research Commission to study and make recommendations on sales tax exemptions and the state’s tax system – continued by the Senate Finance Committee.
S.351 – Senator Grooms – A bill to restructure the organization of the SC State Ports Authority – pending in the House Judiciary Committee.
S.452 – Senator Campbell and others – A bill relating to SC surface water withdrawal and reporting – pending in the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
S.517 – Senator Davis and others – A Joint Resolution requiring certain fees charged by state agencies that are set by regulation to be approved by the General Assembly – amended to more narrowly define the type of fees and given a favorable report by the Senate Finance Committee.
S.577 – Senator Leatherman and others – A Concurrent Resolution to allow the General Assembly to accept federal stimulus funds if the Governor fails to certify in the required period of time that he will request these funds – given a favorable report by the Senate Finance Committee.
For a complete list of bills being tracked by Governmental Affairs please go to the State Relations page of the Office of Governmental Affairs Web site: http://www.clemson.edu/governmentalaffairs/.
FYI
The House was on furlough this week and were not in session. They will return on March 24th. The Senate held a statewide session on Tuesday, March 17th and met in a perfunctory session on Wednesday and Thursday in order to have Committee meetings to consider legislation.
On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony from Dr. Jim Rex, State Superintendent of Education and Dr. Gary Walters, Commission on Higher Education on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA). They Committee voted to approve S. 577 which allows the SC General Assembly to accept the use of the federal stimulus funds for South Carolina if the Governor (within the required 45 day period) fails to certify that he will request and use these funds in a manner provided in the AARA.
The Senate Finance Committee also gave approval to S.517. Clemson and other institutions of higher education followed this bill closely to ensure it did not impose further approval requirements on institutions in the implementation of fees. The bill was amended to ensure legislative approval of any fee that was set by regulation that was proposed by state agencies. These bills will now go to the full Senate for consideration.
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