Category: Reform

S.110 would allow county legislative delegations to remove the Governor’s appointment power over special purpose or public service districts and give it to the county governing body. While this legislation…

S.99 creates a new judicial branch under the Administrative Law Court that would oversee Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) appeals and challenges, and would institute a number of reforms to…

S.96 would require the Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) to submit the names of every qualified judicial candidate to the General Assembly, instead of the Commission’s top three picks. While…

S.86 is a resolution calling for an Article V Convention of States to amend the US Constitution. The resolution attempts to limit potential amendment subjects to fiscal restraints, limits on…

S.96 would require the Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) to submit the names of every qualified judicial candidate to the General Assembly, instead of the Commission’s top three picks. While…

H.3233 calls for an Article V Convention of States to amend the Constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit its power and jurisdiction, and term limits for Congressmen.…

H.3220 creates the Education and Economic Development Coordinating Council. It would be comprised of various agency heads and education representatives. The council’s role would be to advise the Department of Education,…

H.3207 would reduce the size of the Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) from ten to eight members. It changes the appointment of members, allowing the Governor, who currently does not have…

H.3204 would require the Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) to provide a list of all qualified candidates for judgeships to be submitted to the General Assembly for election. This would change…

H.3179 would remove the roll-call requirement for certain legislative votes. Legislators would be able to vote on “a certain number” of budget sections, as authorized by the chambers’ rules committees. This…

H.3178 would remove the roll-call requirement for certain legislative votes. Legislators would be able to vote on up to ten budget sections. However, members would be able to record their individual…

H.3090 is a joint resolution calling for a referendum of voters in the election of 2018 to raise members’ salaries from $10,400 to $42,830. Legislators each receive mileage compensation, free office…

At first glance, H.3018 appears to protect non-elected state employees from privacy infringement. However, upon closer examination, it is yet one more way for the government to be less transparent. Non-elected…

WILL THE NEW LAW CUT SOUTH CAROLINA’S HALF-YEAR SESSION, OR IS IT ANOTHER FAUX REFORM? Gov. Nikki Haley recently signed a bill shortening South Carolina’s legislative session. Media reports indicate…

THE GOVERNOR HAS SIGNED IT, BUT VERY LITTLE HAS CHANGED In 2012, the Policy Council began calling for the abolition of the legislature’s power to police its own members’ ethics…

IT MIGHT BE THE MOST CONVOLUTED REFORM BILL WE’VE SEEN YET. [Update: On Wednesday, June 8, Gov. Haley signed the bill analyzed below, calling it “incomplete reform” and “far less…

HOUSE LEGISLATION WOULD MAKE IT A FELONY TO GIVE ‘INCOMPLETE’ TESTIMONY On Wednesday, outgoing Rep. Walt McLeod filed a bill allowing any legislative committee to require any committee testimony they hear…

HOUSE, SENATE SQUABBLE OVER SEMANTICS, AGREE ON KEEPING LOOPHOLES House leadership has developed a compromise with Senate language in an amendment to H.3184, legislation supposedly intended to abolish lawmakers’ power…

ON INCOME DISCLOSURE AND LEGISLATIVE SELF-POLICING, LAWMAKERS WANT CREDIT FOR REFORM WITHOUT CHANGING THE SYSTEM At the moment, the two hottest issues in the State House going under the banner…

INCOME DISCLOSURE, WITH LOOPHOLES Senators seemed determined this week to not let another session go by without addressing “ethics reform” – although nothing that’s likely to pass the legislature will…

THE SENATE BILL IS GONE. THE HOUSE BILL IS BACK. WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? The ethics debate in the Senate got very interesting this week as the Senate took…

REAL REFORM, NON-REFORM, OR SOMETHING ELSE? On Wednesday night, senators emerged from a behind-the-scenes meeting to adopt an amendment to the roads bill. As it exists now, the bill does not…

H.4819 creates the Office of Homeowners Ombudsman within the Department of Consumer Affairs. The ombudsman is appointed by the Director of the Department. The ombudsman’s responsibilities include providing homeowners associations…

S.1050 establishes the SC Able Savings Program, which would allow disabled individuals and their families to set up tax-free savings accounts to cover disability-related expenses. The accounts would have no…

H.4571 would prohibit a “government agency, body, commission, committee, or council” whose governing board is appointed by a legislative delegation from transferring any of the bodies’ authority to another board…

● Bill includes unaccountable exceptions to private income disclosure ● Actually weakens public income disclosure requirement ● Legislative self-policing rearranged, not abolished ● Allows ethics committees to sign off – in secret…

H.4713 closes the SC Retirement System, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, and the State Optional Retirement Program, replacing them with the SC Retirement Investment Plan (SCRIP). With the…

S.955 mandates that a ticket be issued instead of an arrest for the following offenses: Cutting or removing timber without permission (if the value is less than $50) Trespassing Parking…

S.315 would repeal a section of Act 114 of 2007 that sunsets the Governor’s ability to appoint the Secretary of the Department of Transportation. Act 114 also gave the Governor…

H.4700 would amend the rules of the House of Representatives to add special introductions, recognitions, and announcements to the House’s regular order of business. This time would be limited to…