THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA The South Carolina House of Representatives is on furlough until Tuesday, April 14.
H.3151 (Requisite Study of the US Constitution) was carried over by the Higher Education Subcommittee of the House Education Committee. If enacted, this bill would require students at public colleges and universities to take a course on the US Constitution and other founding documents. Under the legislation, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) would hold enforcement authority over the state colleges and universities. Debate was adjourned on the bill as there was no fiscal impact study available at the time of the subcommittee hearing.
S.528 (Higher Education Textbook Policy) was passed favorably as amended by the Senate Education Committee. This legislation would add provisions for a textbook policy for public institutions of higher education that is intended to lower college textbook costs. The bill if enacted defines necessary terminology, provides for obligations of the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) to develop guidelines for the policy, and requires institutions to adopt and report on policies and identify a textbook coordinator by January 1, 2016.
S.261 (Tuition for Persons Sixty and Over) was passed favorably by the Senate Education Committee. This legislation would amend provisions for free tuition for students who are sixty years old and older by deleting the requirement that eligible persons must not be employed full-time by the institution.
The State Budget Process The Senate Finance Committee will continue to hold budget subcommittee hearings through early April. The full Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to begin work on the budget the week of April 13.
Detailed information on Clemson's 2015 state legislative and budget priorities for FY 2015-16 may be found at these links:
BILLS OF INTEREST The Clemson University Governmental Affairs office is monitoring several bills that have potential impact on Clemson. A complete listing of these bills may be found here. Click on the bill number for a description of the legislation, along with the bill's current status.
CLEMSON ON CAPITOL HILL House and Senate Approve FY16 Budget Resolutions The House and Senate have each approved their respective budget resolutions for FY16. They will now attempt to work out the differences between the two versions in a conference committee when Congress returns on April 13th after the Easter recess.
Both the House and Senate resolutions seek to balance the federal budget over the next decade through a series of cuts to several entitlement and mandatory programs and to nondefense discretionary spending. Both would aim to increase defense spending without increasing taxes.
Higher Education Act Reauthorization Update It is expected that Chairman Senator Lamar Alexander, (R-TN) Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will introduce reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) sometime this summer before the August recess.
Patent Reform Update The Higher Ed community continues to monitor and express concerns over patent reform legislation that could negatively impact technology transfer.
The House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet held a hearing on March 25 to discuss the Innovation Act, which addresses abusive patent litigation, with a focus on specific incidents in which such abusive litigation has harmed small businesses, retail firms, and start-ups.
FYI The South Carolina Senate has confirmed the appointment of Clemson University Trustee Dr. Louis B. Lynn (Clemson '70, M '72) to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE). Dr. Lynn will serve as the Research Institution representative on the Commission.
| 
