Published Tuesday, May 06, 2008 8:43 AM
Updated Tuesday, May 06, 2008 8:48 AM
State Capitol Report
The House of Representatives amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.3590, the “South Carolina restructuring act.”
This bill establishes the Department of Administration under the executive branch of state government.
The Department of Administration is headed by a director appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the General Assembly.
The following offices, divisions or components of the State Budget and Control Board, Office of the Governor, or other agencies are transferred to and incorporated into the Department of Administration:
Division of General Services including Facilities Management, Business Services together with Fleet Management, and Property Services; Office of Human Resources; Office of Executive Policy and Programs, except for the State Ombudsman and Children's Services programs, which are contained within this office;
Office of Economic Opportunity; Developmental Disabilities Council; Continuum of Care; Children's Foster Care;
Veterans Affairs; Commission on Women; Victims Assistance; Small and Minority Business; Procurement Services Division of the State Budget and Control Board; and State Energy Office; and Division of State Chief Information Officer of the State Budget and Control Board.
The bill also provides for legislative oversight of executive departments. Each committee must conduct oversight studies and investigations at least once every four years on all agencies within the committee's jurisdiction.
The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.4815, the “south carolina motion picture incentive act of 2008.” The legislation transfers the South Carolina Film Commission from the Department of Commerce and establishes it as a separate division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
The House amended, approved, and sent to the Senate H.4883, the “education capital improvements sales and use tax act.” This legislation authorizes a county, which has collected at least seven million dollars in state accommodations taxes in a fiscal year to impose, through referendum approval, a one percent local sales and use tax for not more than fifteen years with the revenue to be used by the county’s school district board of trustees to pay for public school capital improvements. Under the legislation, a county would have the option of sharing this revenue with public institutions of higher learning or technical colleges located in the county for capital improvements on those campuses.
If you have a comment or opinion concerning the matters discussed in this report, or if I may be of assistance to you at any time, please feel free to call your legislative office in Columbia (734 2936); or my office in Pineville (843-567-4386). Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the House of Representatives.