THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
The State Budget Process
Specifically, the budget includes the following for Clemson and Clemson PSA:
Clemson E&G - $1.7 million in recurring funding for Clemson's partnership with the Greenwood Genetic Center - $750,000 in recurring funding for the Deep Orange project at CU-ICAR
Clemson PSA - $500,000 in recurring funding for Agribusiness and Emerging Farmers - $750,000 in recurring funding for Vegetable and Fruit Production - $500,000 in recurring funding for 4-H Youth Leadership Programs
Like the House version, the budget includes an increase in the cost of health insurance for state employees which will be covered by the state.
Additionally, the Senate version of the budget included an $800 bonus for each permanent, full-time state employee who earns less than $100,000 a year. These bonuses are contingent upon a budget surplus at the end of the fiscal year. The budget now goes to back to the South Carolina House of Representatives and then to a conference committee which will negotiate the differences in the House and Senate versions.
The Senate is expected to begin debate on the Capital Reserve Fund bill (H.3702) sometime this week. Currently, the CRF appropriates Clemson-specific funding for capital items to include the following:
Clemson E&G: - $3,467,650 in nonrecurring funding for Critical Maintenance Needs
Clemson PSA: - $1,500,000 in nonrecurring funding for Ag & Natural Resources Field Facilities
The Capital Reserve Fund bill also contains a bond bill which includes funding for the following projects: - $16.85 million for a new Business and Behavioral Sciences Building - $3.15 million for expansion of the T. Ed Garrison Arena Education and Instruction Facility
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 Senate Adopts FY 16 Budget Resolution Agreement The Senate on May 5 gave final approval to the FY16 budget resolution conference report (S. Con. Res. 11), marking the first time in six years that Congress has been able to agree on a budget blueprint. The measure, which passed the Senate by a vote of 51 to 48, provides overall guidance for spending but is not signed into law by the President. It was approved by the House on April 30.
Higher Education Act The House Committee on Education and the Workforce plans to introduce a series of bills starting in early summer that focus on Title IV funding, accreditation, transparency, loan counseling, regulatory relief, and learning innovation (in no particular order). While the bills will be introduced separately, with the opportunity to comment, they will eventually be rolled together in a Higher Education Act reauthorization package. The Committee introduced similar bills last Congress, which will serve as a starting point for the process in the 114th Congress: (1) Strengthening Transparency in the Higher Education Act (H.R. 4983); (2) Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act (H.R. 4894); and (3) Advancing Competency-based Education Demonstration Project Act of 2013 (H.R. 3136).
New Senate NIH Caucus Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are starting a new, bipartisan Senate caucus dedicated to supporting the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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