What’s really in the Panthers deal
In the final days of the legislative session, the House and Senate both passed legislation to give big tax breaks and other incentives for the NFL team the Carolina Panthers. In one of several procedural twists, the SC Senate skipped one of the roll call votes specifically required by state law. The bill was sent […]
State oversight for electric cooperatives
A bill passed by the House (H.3145) would subject electric cooperatives to state oversight, increase transparency requirements, and impose basic ethics guidelines for board members. This would create a major shift in state utility policy, as cooperatives are not currently subject to state oversight. Under this legislation, the Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS) would audit […]
Lawmakers propose tolls to pay for new roads
Despite passing a twelve-cent gas tax increase in 2017, lawmakers are fast-tracking a proposal to increase the number of toll roads in South Carolina to fund new road construction. S.780 – a bill filed and placed on the calendar without a committee hearing last week – would allow the Department of Transportation (DOT) to impose […]
What’s in the Senate budget?
Last week, the Senate amended and passed the state appropriations bill, which spends $29.8 billion. This includes a surplus of $344 million ($16 million more than the House budget allocated). Many of the House and Senate spending priorities are the same – such as a 2% pay raise for state employees, a 4% pay raise […]
Crossover update: what passed and what didn’t
Wednesday, April 10 was the crossover deadline, which means that bills that failed to cross to the other chamber by this date will need a two-thirds majority to be taken up in the opposite house. This makes them unlikely to become law this year. Here is a status update of important bills we have been […]
A new state retirement plan – for private employees?
A bill filed last month (H.4258) would create a state retirement plan for private employees. The 401(K) style plan, called the “Palmetto Work and Save Plan”, would be available for employees of private businesses, non-profits, and even those who are self-employed. However, individuals who work for private businesses would be automatically enrolled unless they opted […]
Bill would create another legislative guarantee for utility debt
A bill currently in a Senate subcommittee would guarantee a refinancing of SCANA’s debt by authorizing a new ratepayer charge. Under S.110, the Public Service Commission (PSC – the utility regulatory body accountable to lawmakers) could authorize SCANA to refinance its remaining debt from the failed nuclear project, or to refinance utility costs from natural […]
State budget 2019: Highlights from the House spending plan
House lawmakers have adopted the largest spending plan in state history. Here’s what you need to know about it. What they’re spending The House budget is a grand total of $29.8 billion – a spending increase of $1.1 billion (or around 3.8%) over last year. This includes a surplus of $328 million. The state […]
Higher education “reform”: more spending, less accountability
S.298 would allow unaccountable university spending, borrowing and construction, would greatly increase state spending on higher education, and would limit future tuition increases. Despite the unaffordability of higher education in South Carolina (student loan debt is among the nation’s highest, and tuition has increased 93 percent from 2008 to 2017), the bill does not cut […]
Selling Santee Cooper: First Things First
Click to print PDF version Two committees comprised almost entirely of lawmakers are currently exploring the possibility of selling state-owned utility Santee Cooper. Not only is this beyond the proper jurisdiction of legislators – whose job is simply to establish laws – but their approach is leaving citizens in the dark. Santee Cooper is the […]
