A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 8-11-165, RELATING TO SALARY AND FRINGE BENEFIT SURVEY FOR AGENCY HEADS, LIMITS ON SALARIES OF AGENCY EMPLOYEES AND PRESIDENTS OF A TECHNICAL COLLEGE, AGENCY HEAD SALARY ADJUSTMENTS, AND NEW MEMBERS OF AGENCY GOVERNING BOARDS, SO AS TO REMOVE THE MAXIMUM LIMITS OF COMPENSATION FOR AN EMPLOYEE OF AN AGENCY REVIEWED BY THE AGENCY HEAD SALARY COMMISSION.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Section 8-11-165 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    Section 8-11-165.  (A) It is the intent of the General Assembly that:

       (1) A salary and fringe benefit survey for agency heads must be conducted by the State Fiscal Accountability Authority every four years.  The staff of the authority shall serve as the support staff to the Agency Head Salary Commission.

       (2) Beginning with the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 and every four years thereafter, the Agency Head Salary Commission shall commission a study to recommend a salary range for the term of each state constitutional officer listed in Section 1-1-1210, with the exception of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, based on each state constitutional officer's job duties and responsibilities as well as the pay of other state constitutional officers in other states.  The commission shall then determine a salary for the term of each such state constitutional officer within the recommended pay range subject to funding being provided in the annual appropriations act.

    (B) No employee of agencies reviewed by the Agency Head Salary Commission may receive a salary in excess of ninety-five percent of the midpoint of the agency head salary range or the agency head actual salary, whichever is greater, except on approval of the Director of the Division of State Human Resources at the Department of Administration, and except for employees of higher education technical colleges, colleges, and universities.

    (C)(B) The Agency Head Salary Commission may recommend to the General Assembly that agency head salaries be adjusted to the minimum of their salary ranges and may recommend to the board that agency head salaries be adjusted when necessary up to the midpoints of their respective salary ranges.  These increases must be based on criteria developed and approved by the Agency Head Salary Commission.

    (D)(C) All new members appointed to a governing board of an agency where the performance of the agency head is reviewed and ranked by the Agency Head Salary Commission shall attend the training in agency head performance appraisal provided by the commission within the first year of their appointment unless specifically excused by the chairman of the Agency Head Salary Commission.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----