Budget

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All action on the budget was completed last week. The Appropriations Act will be effective July 1, 2004.

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Summary of Clemson Items in the Budget:

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General statewide elements that relate to personal services issues:

-------- 3% pay raise effective July 1, 2004 for classified and unclassified state employees

-------- $13 million to partially fund increases in the State Health Plan for state employees

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Specific Higher Education initiatives:

-------- Eliminates the HEPI cap on tuition

-------- Provides $30 million in Lottery Funds for the Endowed Chairs Program

-------- Exempts higher education institutions from the limitation on increases in parking fees

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Specific Public Service initiatives:

-------- Continued the surcharge on pesticide registration fees (+$800,000)

-------- Adopted proviso allowing Clemson to spend funds generated from the sale of land at the Sandhill REC on facilities and scholarships as approved by the Board of Trustees and the Budget and Control Board

-------- Exempted Clemson PSA from the sale of the state vehicle fleet proviso

-------- Updated a proviso to ensure the revenues from certain fees were retained by the Division of Regulatory and Public Service

Hot Bills

H. 3082 - Affirmative Approval of Regulations - did not pass in the Senate.

H. 3448 - At-Will Employee bill - became an Act of Law on March 15, 2004.

H.4127 - Establishes a Department of Administration with a Chief Information Officer - did not pass in the Senate.

H. 4130 - Regulation of Small Business - signed into an Act of Law. Clemson's regulatory divisions were exempted from this Act.

H. 3714- The South Carolina Education and Economic Development Act - a bill that implements the "Pathways to Prosperity" report- did not pass in the House.

H. 4238 - Licensure and Regulation of Accountants - companion bill, S. 687 passed the House and Senate and is awaiting the Governor's signature.

H. 4565 - Public-Private Education Facilities & Infrastructure Act - did not pass in the Senate.

H. 4653 - Parental Responsibilities Act - Clemson opposed a section in the bill mandating curriculum requirements for certain education degrees - did not pass in the House.

H. 4612 - Clemson Athletic Revenue Bonds - Companion bill, S. 904 became an Act of Law.

H. 4720 - Uniform Electronic Transactions Act - provides for definitions, legal effect and enforceability of an electronic record and signature - passed by the House and Senate and awaiting the Governor's signature.

H. 4739 - prevents state agencies from providing any goods and services in competition with private business - did not pass in the House.

H. 4791 - Notification of meningitis and hepatitis B vaccinations on student health forms - did not pass in the Senate.

H. 4792 - relating to judicial review of administrative proceedings - Clemson requested an amendment to allow appeals in our regulatory divisions to be heard by an Administrative Law Judge - did not pass in the House.

H. 4892 - the Uniform Athletic Agent Act (UAAA) - companion bill, S. 759 passed the House and Senate and awaiting the Governor's signature.

H. 4980 - clarification in the state Meat Inspection Law - requested by Clemson - passed by the House and Senate and awaiting the Governor's signature.

H. 4981 - authorizes the State Veterinarian to issue Interstate Equine Passports - requested by Clemson - passed by the House and Senate and awaiting the Governor's signature.

H. 4996 - regulates the capture and release of any pigs into the wild - requested by the Dept. of Natural Resources - supported by Clemson's Livestock and Poultry Health Division - passed the House and Senate and awaiting the Governor's signature.

S. 462 - Companion bill to H.3714 - did not pass in the Senate.

S. 687 - Licensure and regulation of Accountants - specifies the education requirements for licensure of Certified Public Accountants - passed the House and Senate and awaiting the Governor's signature.

S. 759 - the Uniform Athletic Agent Act (UAAA) - passed by the House and Senate and awaiting the Governor's signature.

S. 904 - Clemson Athletic Revenue Bonds - became an Act of Law on April 26, 2004.

S. 1088 - codification bill - did not pass in the Senate.

S. 1089 - Establishing an office and structure for a Chief Information Officer in the Budget and Control Board - did not pass in the Senate.

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Bills of Interest

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None of these bills passed the legislature and are dead for the year.

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H. 3047 - Scholarships, loans, grants/Non -US Citizens

H. 3187 - Use of Public Funds to Employ Lobbyists

H. 3208 - FOIA- Economic Development Disclosure

H. 3229 - Allows words of the Ten Commandments to be displayed on real property owned by the State

H. 3244- Faculty Workloads

H. 3555 - Prevents county ordinances from being more stringent than state laws on agriculture operations

H. 3699 - The SC College and University Board of Regents

H. 3741- Exemptions From the State Employee Grievance Procedure

H. 3866 - Public Institutions of Higher Learning Operating a Hotel

H. 4537 - Move the State Aeronautics Commission to the Department of Transportation H. 4888 - removes the earnings limitation on retirees returning to employment and repeals TERI

S. 29 - Compliance/Federal Military Selective Service

S.197 - LIFE Scholarship Qualification/Tax Refunds

S. 382 - Repeal TERI

S. 383 - Exemptions From the State Employee Grievance Procedure Act--

S. 403 - Public Institutions of Higher Learning Operating a Hotel

S. 822- Move the State Aeronautics Commission to the Department of Transportation

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FYI

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Two bills that Clemson requested, H. 4980 and H. 4981, have been ratified and are awaiting the Governor's signature. These bills relate to establishing an equine event permit and clarifying language in the meat inspection law.

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The General Assembly adjourned sine die on June 3^rd.- As this is the second year of a two-year session, any bill not passed and ratified by both bodies upon adjournment died for the year.-

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June 8^th is the primary election day for SC House and Senate seats.

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You can read a copy of this update and find other legislative information from Governmental Affairs by going to our website at www.clemson.edu/governmentalaffairs/.

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Federal Update

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The House of Representatives began marking up appropriations measures this week without having completed a Budget Resolution.- The Defense, Interior, and Homeland Security subcommittees marked up bills for consideration by the full Appropriations Committee.- Dissension exists about how the process will continue.- The House Leadership expects to pass all of the thirteen appropriation measures individually whereas the Senate Leadership is debating several options to complete this process.- At this point, no specific language has been released to identify whether any of our projects received consideration.- The House is expected to continue to mark up appropriations measure next week.-

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On Tuesday, June 8^th there will be a statewide primary election to determine who will be running to fill the seat held by Senator Ernest F. Hollings.- Both the Republicans and Democrats will have primary contests.- It is expected that the Republicans will have a run-off election to determine their candidate on June 22.-

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