Return to the LPITS HOME PAGE - Last Updated: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 3:52 P.M.

The following legislation is pending in Conference Committee.

General Appropriation Bill (H. 3362, Ways and Means Committee)
Appropriations from Capital Reserve Fund (H. 3363, Ways and Means Committee)
Appropriations from "Carnell-Felder" Act (H. 3647, Ways and Means Committee)
Supplemental Appropriations of Fiscal Year 1994-1995 Surplus General Fund Revenues (H. 3690, House Ways and Means Committee).

House/Senate Conference Committees have been at work since mid-May trying to reconcile differences in the House and Senate-passed versions of the four appropriations bills listed above. On Thursday, June 8, the conference committees came to an agreement on the budget. At press time, the House Ways and Means Committee was in the midst of preparing a report summarizing budget highlights; this report will be distributed to House members upon returning for the statewide session beginning Monday, June 12.

Restructuring of Commission on Higher Education (S. 365, Sen. Setzler). Currently, South Carolina's Commission on Higher Education is governed by an 18-member commission, with the governor appointing 2 members from each of the state's 6 congressional districts (upon recommendation of each district's legislative delegation) and also appointing (with the advice and consent of the Senate) 6 "at-large" members. If S. 365 is adopted, however, the commission's size would be reduced to 11 members, all of whom would be appointed by the governor, with 6 of these members representing congressional districts (1 from each district); 3 representing the state's public colleges and universities; 1 representing independent colleges and universities; and 1 member being "at-large" and serving as chairman. These 11 members would be required to meet various qualifications, as follows:

(a) Congressional appointees: Members appointed by the governor to represent congressional districts must have the advice and consent of the Senate. Each such appointee must have experience in business, the education of future leaders and teachers, management or policy. Additionally, these appointees must not have been, during the succeeding 5 years, a member of a governing body of a public institution of higher learning in this State, and must not be employed or have immediate family members employed by any of the State's public colleges and universities. These appointees could serve a maximum of 2-consecutive 4-year terms.
(b) Representatives of Public Colleges and Universities: Would serve ex-officio, with the bill specifying that it would not be a conflict of interest for a voting ex-officio member to vote on matters pertaining to their individual college or university. Of these 3 appointees, 1 must serve on the board of trustees of 1 of South Carolina's public senior research institutions (Medical University of South Carolina, Clemson University, University of South Carolina); 1 must serve on the board of trustees of 1 of the public 4-year institutions of higher learning (e.g., The Citadel, South Carolina State University, Winthrop University, etc.); and 1 member must be a member of the local area technical education commissions or the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. These appointees would serve 2-year terms, with no institution represented for more than 1 consecutive term.
(c) Representative of Independent Colleges and Universities: This member must be serving as a member of the Advisory Council of Private College Presidents, may not serve more than 2-consecutive 2-year terms, and serves as a non-voting member.
(d) At-large Appointee: Serves as chairman, limited to 1 four-year term.

S. 365 also specifies that the commission's purposes are to provide overview and oversight of services provide by public higher education institutions; to serve as an advisor to the governor and the General Assembly, and to advocate the interests of students attending institutions of higher learning. The bill also requires the commission to make recommendations to the governor, instead of to the Budget and Control Board concerning policies, financing, etc. of state-supported institutions of higher learning, and allows the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee to refer to the commission for study requests of institutions of higher learning for new or additional appropriations for operating or other purposes and for establishment of new or expanded programs. Additionally, the executive director must be appointed by the commission and must manage and carry out the commission's duties, with the director not subject to the State Employee Grievance Procedure Act but subject to dismissal without cause. The commission's professional staff must be established by the executive director, instead of by the commission. Finally, the bill provides that terms of current members of the commission expire next month (July 1), at which time new members would be selected in accordance with these provisions.