Legislative Update
January 28, 2010
The 118th Session of the South Carolina General Assembly convened on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. This is the second year of a two-year session and therefore bills introduced in 2009 are carried over to this session.
BUDGET
This year, the budget process begins with Clemson already having to manage mid-year budget cuts of over $10 million. The General Assembly will begin writing a state budget with revenues that are approximately $500 million less than last fiscal year.
Governor Sanford presented his 2010-2011 Executive Budget on January 7, 2010. In his budget document, Governor Sanford again established his funding priorities through goal areas by “purchasing” activities in those areas. Activities not “purchased” are essentially cuts. Governor Sanford again proposes a spending limitation of “population plus inflation”, an optional flat income tax rate and phasing out the corporate income tax. Significant cuts to Clemson include annualizing the mid-year base cuts and a 91% cut to Clemson PSA.
Governor’s Recommendations affecting Clemson University
Clemson E&G:
($825,520) – Base Cut of 1% “to encourage collaboration”
($520,674)- Base Cut for “savings” on TERI employees (includes PSA)
($654,500) – Base Cut for a Two-Day furlough
($1,363,756) – Base Cut 15% in travel (includes PSA)
($91,000) – Cell phone and pager use
($70,119) – State Health Plan “Savings”
($2,897,733) – Other Base Cuts for “State Government savings” (includes PSA)
($1,300,000) – Eliminate funding for Call Me MISTER
$(7,723,302) Total Decrease from Current Base
Clemson PSA:
($12,366,089) Agriculture and Forestry Production
($3,960,002) – 4-H
($2,240,124) – Agriculture Biotechnology
($2,979,665) – Natural Resources, Water Quality and Environmental research
($3,300,202) – Food Safety and Nutrition
($2,602,223) – Rural Development and distance education
($641,368) – Risk Management for Agricultural Business
($1,000,424) – Integrated Pest Management for Agriculture and Forestry
($1,361,883) – Two-day furlough, health plan savings, administrative savings
($474,836) – Meat Inspection
($304,199) – Agriculture Education teacher salaries
($342,309) – Pesticide training
($180,094) – Pesticide regulation
($31,753,418) Total Decrease from Current Base
Other Elements of Sanford’s Budget:
Pay Plan
- Does not include a state employee pay raise
- Does not fund any state employee insurance premium increase.
Higher Education
- Maintained funding to state scholarships
- HEPI limitation on tuition increases
- No Endowed Chairs funding
The Budget Process
The House Ways and Means Committee (where the appropriations bill originates) has begun agency budget subcommittee hearings and will continue this process through January. Both of Clemson’s budget hearings (E&G and PSA) were held Wednesday, January 20th. President Barker, Student Body President Abby Daniel, and Vice President John Kelly made budget presentations on behalf of Clemson.
House Ways and Means Subcommittees that will hear Clemson’s budget requests
Higher Education Subcommittee:
Representative Chip Limehouse, Chairman
Representative Denny Neilson
Representative Jim Merrill
Representative Liston Barfield
Economic Development and Natural Resources Subcommittee:
Representative Jay Lucas, Chairman
Representative Jim Battle
Representative Mike Pitts
HOT BILLS
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 Senate Judiciary Committee.
H.3584 – Representative Harrell and others – A bill to raise the cigarette tax by 50 cents per pack – pending on the Senate Contested Calendar.
H.3365 – Representative Cooper – A bill to provide 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 – given a favorable report by a Joint Senate Education-Senate Finance Subcommittee.
H.3395 – Representative Harrell and others – A bill to conform the SC Code of Laws to reflect any constitutional change in the amount required to be held in the General Reserve Fund – given a favorable report by the Senate Finance Committee.
H.3396 – Representative Harrell and others – A Joint Resolution to increase the General Reserve Fund from three to five percent of general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year – pending in the Senate Judiciary 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.3878 – Representative Rice and others – A Joint Resolution to establish a joint committee on the consolidation of state agencies to review the feasibility and costs savings related to the consolidation of certain state agencies – pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
H.3889 – Representative Jimmy Bales – A bill to change the requirement for Coggins Testing and to require testing for Strangles in horses – recommitted to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
H.4005 – Representative Sellers and others – A bill to prohibiting individuals seeking election to membership on the governing board of an institution of higher education filled by a vote of the General Assembly to make contributions to a candidate for the General Assembly or sponsor a fundraiser for a candidate from the time the individual files a notice of intention to seek membership to the time the office is filled – pending in a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee.
H.4176 – Representative John King – A Joint Resolution to impose a moratorium on reimbursements paid in connection with all nonessential state employee travel, associated meals and lodging through June 30, 2010 – referred to the House Ways and Means Committee
H.4227 – Representative Jim Merrill – A bill to abolish the Commission on Higher Education – referred to the House Education and Public Works Committee
H.4241 – Representative Murrell Smith and others – A bill to create the SC Renewable Energy Plan – referred to the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee.
H. 4386 – Representative Thompson and others – A bill to limit members of boards of trustees of SC public colleges and universities to three four-year terms – referred to the House Judiciary 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 – pending on the Senate Contested Calendar.
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.9 – Senator McConnell and others – A bill to establish energy efficiency and renewable energy goals for state government – recommitted to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
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.377 – Senator Scott and others – A bill to require public institutions of higher education to develop a credit card marketing and solicitation policy – passed by the Senate and referred to the House Education and Public Works Committee.
S.452 – Senator Campbell and others – A bill relating to SC surface water withdrawal and reporting – given a favorable report by 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 – passed by the Senate, sent to the House Ways and Means Committee.
S.553 – Senator Hutto – A bill to provide for the licensure and regulation of summer camps – pending in the House Judiciary Committee.
S.1080 – Senators Malloy and Ford – A bill to repeal the sales tax exemption on textbooks, books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers, and access to on-line information – introduced and referred to 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/.
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