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Committee Report

February 19, 2025

 

S. 318

 

Introduced by Senators Goldfinch, Alexander, Johnson, Fernandez, Gambrell, Stubbs, Grooms, Climer, Leber, Cash, Kimbrell, Davis, Young, Peeler, Corbin, Turner, Rice and Verdin

 

S. Printed 2/19/25--S.

Read the first time February 5, 2025

 

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The committee on Senate Finance

To whom was referred a Joint Resolution (S. 318) so as to enact the "Commission on Fiscal Restraint and Government Efficiency"; to provide for the membership of the commission; to provide for the commission's duties, etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

 

    Amend the joint resolution, as and if amended, by striking SECTIONS 1 and 2 and inserting:

SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "Commission on Fiscal Restraint and Government Efficiency".Delivery of Government Efficiency Commission Act."

 

SECTION 2.  (A) There is created the Commission on Fiscal Restraint and Government EfficiencyDelivery of Government Efficiency Commission. The voting members of the commission shall be comprised of:

       (1) three members appointed by the President of the Senate;

       (2) three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

       (3) three members appointed by the Governor from the State at large.

    (B) The voting members of the commission may not be a member of the General Assembly or otherwise have a conflict of interest.  A commission member has a 'conflict of interest' if it is reasonably foreseeable that the commission member will derive a direct financial benefit or suffer a direct financial loss as a result of a particular outcome that might reasonably be reached by the commission.,

    (C)  Membership on the commission shall not constitute holding an 'office' for the purpose of the prohibition on dual office holding in Section 3, Article VI and Section 1A, Article XVII of the South Carolina Constitution, 1895.

    (B)(D) The commission shall be chaired by the Director of the Department of Administration, or her designee. The Director of the Department of Administration's designee may not be a member of the General Assembly. The commission chair shall be a non-voting member.

    (C)(E) Commissioners shall serve without compensation and are not entitled to mileage, subsistence, or per diem as provided by law for members of state boards, committees, and commissions.

    (D)(F) The commission shall utilize staff from the General Assembly and the executive branch at the discretion of the chair. The commission may also engage third-party consultants or other experts in related fields to fulfill its duties and obligations.

Amend the joint resolution further, by striking SECTIONS 4 and 5 and inserting:

SECTION 4.  The commission shall first undertake the review of appropriations in the State budget to identify areas where spending reductions are appropriate. The commission's findings shall identify the amount of recommended reductions and identify the source of the reductions as specifically as possible, down to the program or subprogram level if possible. The commission shall report its findings to the President of the Senate, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, and the Governor not later than October 1, 2025. Upon receipt of this report, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee may request that the chair of the commission present specific findings at a regular meeting of the relevant budget subcommittee or of the full standing committee. The commission's report shall be published on the General Assembly's and the Governor's website.

 

SECTION 5.  Following the commission's recommendations concerning reductions in appropriations, the commission shall then work to fulfill its remaining duties and obligations. The commission shall report its additional findings to the President of the Senate, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, and the Governor not later than October 1, 2026. The commission may, at its discretion, report these findings to the standing legislative oversight committees of the General Assembly for consideration for investigation as outlined in Section 2-2-40. The commission's report shall be published on the General Assembly's and the Governor's website.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

 

HARVEY PEELER for Committee.

 

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A joint Resolution

 

SO AS TO ENACT THE "COMMISSION ON FISCAL RESTRAINT AND GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY"; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION; TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMMISSION'S DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS; TO PRIORITIZE SPENDING CUTS AND ESTABLISH A DATE THAT THE SPENDING CUTS MUST BE REPORTED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNOR; TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPORT ON THE COMMISSION'S OTHER DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS; AND TO SUNSET THE COMMISSION.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "Commission on Fiscal Restraint and Government Efficiency".

 

SECTION 2.  (A) There is created the Commission on Fiscal Restraint and Government Efficiency. The voting members of the commission shall be comprised of:

       (1) three members appointed by the President of the Senate;

       (2) three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

       (3) three members appointed by the Governor from the State at large,

    (B) The commission shall be chaired by the Director of the Department of Administration, or her designee. The Director of the Department of Administration's designee may not be a member of the General Assembly. The commission chair shall be a non-voting member.

    (C) Commissioners shall serve without compensation and are not entitled to mileage, subsistence, or per diem as provided by law for members of state boards, committees, and commissions.

    (D) The commission shall utilize staff from the General Assembly and the executive branch at the discretion of the chair. The commission may also engage third-party consultants or other experts in related fields to fulfill its duties and obligations.

 

SECTION 3.  The commission shall conduct a survey of the structure and funding of state government to determine how to modernize it so that state government is less costly and more efficient for our State's taxpayers. In fulfilling its duties and obligations the commission shall:

    (1) review appropriations in the State budget and identify areas for spending reductions;

    (2) review the Code of Regulations to determine which regulations can be repealed to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses operating our state, specifically small and medium sized businesses;

    (3) review the Code of Regulations to determine which regulations can be repealed to reduce the regulatory burden on our citizens' property rights;

    (4) identify redundant, conflicting, or oppressive regulations;

    (5) identify government programs, agencies, departments, boards, and commissions that can be eliminated, consolidated, or otherwise restructured in order to increase government efficiency; and

    (6) conduct other reviews and make other recommendations that the commission identifies as being necessary and proper to reduce spending, increase efficiency, and reduce the State government's burden on our citizens' quality of life or economic development.

 

SECTION 4.  The commission shall first undertake the review of appropriations in the State budget to identify areas where spending reductions are appropriate. The commission's findings shall identify the amount of recommended reductions and identify the source of the reductions as specifically as possible, down to the program or subprogram level if possible. The commission shall report its findings to the President of the Senate, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, and the Governor not later than October 1, 2025. The commission's report shall be published on the General Assembly's and the Governor's website.

 

SECTION 5.  Following the commission's recommendations concerning reductions in appropriations, the commission shall then work to fulfill its remaining duties and obligations. The commission shall report its findings to the President of the Senate, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, and the Governor not later than October 1, 2026. The commission's report shall be published on the General Assembly's and the Governor's website.

 

SECTION 6.  This joint resolution is repealed on October 2, 2026.

 

SECTION 7.  This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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