BUDGET
The House Ways and Means Committee has completed subcommittee meetings and the full Committee is scheduled to begin work on Monday, February 22nd. All agencies were asked to provide to the Committee, how they would take up to a 15% cut. The BEA met last week and did not change the revenue estimate for this fiscal year or for fiscal year 2010-2011. The Committee will begin writing a state budget with revenues that are approximately $500 million less than last fiscal year.
Governor’s Recommendations affecting Clemson University
Clemson E&G:
($825,520) – Base Cut of 1% “to encourage collaboration”
($520,674)- Base Cut for “savings” on TERI employees (includes PSA)
($654,500) – Base Cut for a Two-Day furlough
($1,363,756) – Base Cut 15% in travel (includes PSA)
($91,000) – Cell phone and pager use
($70,119) – State Health Plan “Savings”
($2,897,733) – Other Base Cuts for “State Government savings” (includes PSA)
($1,300,000) – Eliminate funding for Call Me MISTER
$(7,723,302) Total Decrease from Current Base
Clemson PSA:
($12,366,089) Agriculture and Forestry Production
($3,960,002) – 4-H
($2,240,124) – Agriculture Biotechnology
($2,979,665) – Natural Resources, Water Quality and Environmental research
($3,300,202) – Food Safety and Nutrition
($2,602,223) – Rural Development and distance education
($641,368) – Risk Management for Agricultural Business
($1,000,424) – Integrated Pest Management for Agriculture and Forestry
($1,361,883) – Two-day furlough, health plan savings, administrative savings
($474,836) – Meat Inspection
($304,199) – Agriculture Education teacher salaries
($342,309) – Pesticide training
($180,094) – Pesticide regulation
($31,753,418) Total Decrease from Current Base
The Budget Process
The Higher Education Subcommittee and the Proviso Subcommittee did not offer a proviso to cap tuition. The proviso subcommittee did recommend closing the TERI program to new participants effective July 1, 2010.
House Ways and Means Subcommittees that hear Clemson’s budget requests
Higher Education Subcommittee:
Representative Chip Limehouse, Chairman
Representative Denny Neilson
Representative Jim Merrill
Representative Liston Barfield
Economic Development and Natural Resources Subcommittee:
Representative Jay Lucas, Chairman
Representative Jim Battle
Representative Mike Pitts
HOT BILLS
H.3104 – Representatives Murrell Smith and Joan Brady – A bill to create a SC College and University Board of Regents – pending in the House Education and Public Works Committee.
H.3147 – Representative Garry Smith and others – A bill to restructure state government by creating a Department of Administration – pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
H.3584 – Representative Harrell and others – A bill to raise the cigarette tax by 50 cents per pack – pending on the Senate Contested Calendar.
H.3365 – Representative Cooper – A bill to provide regulatory reform for the state supported research universities and the four year comprehensive institutions in SC. This bill is a collaborative effort by these institutions to propose regulatory reform in the areas of human resources, facilities, finance and procurement – amended and given a favorable report by the Senate Education Committee, pending second reading on the Senate Calendar.
H.3395 – Representative Harrell and others – A bill to conform the SC Code of Laws to reflect any constitutional change in the amount required to be held in the General Reserve Fund – given a favorable report by the Senate Finance Committee.
H.3396 – Representative Harrell and others – A Joint Resolution to increase the General Reserve Fund from three to five percent of general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year – pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
H. 3397 – Representative Garry Smith and others – A bill to set an annual spending limit on the appropriation of state general fund revenues and establish a spending limit reserve fund– pending in the House Ways and Means Committee.
H.3878 – Representative Rice and others – A Joint Resolution to establish a joint committee on the consolidation of state agencies to review the feasibility and costs savings related to the consolidation of certain state agencies – pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
H.3889 – Representative Jimmy Bales – A bill to change the requirement for Coggins Testing and to require testing for Strangles in horses – recommitted to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
H.4005 – Representative Sellers and others – A bill to prohibiting individuals seeking election to membership on the governing board of an institution of higher education filled by a vote of the General Assembly to make contributions to a candidate for the General Assembly or sponsor a fundraiser for a candidate from the time the individual files a notice of intention to seek membership to the time the office is filled – pending in a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee.
H.4176 – Representative John King – A Joint Resolution to impose a moratorium on reimbursements paid in connection with all nonessential state employee travel, associated meals and lodging through June 30, 2010 – referred to the House Ways and Means Committee
H.4227 – Representative Jim Merrill – A bill to abolish the Commission on Higher Education – referred to the House Education and Public Works Committee
H.4241 – Representative Murrell Smith and others – A bill to create the SC Renewable Energy Plan – referred to the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee.
H. 4386 – Representative Thompson and others – A bill to limit members of boards of trustees of SC public colleges and universities to three four-year terms – referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
H.4478 – Representative Harrell and others – The SC Economic Competitiveness Act – includes allowing the Department of Commerce to award one third of the funds associated with the endowed chairs program – given a majority favorable and minority unfavorable report by the House Ways and Means Committee.
H.4539 – Representative Mike Pitts and others – A bill to transfer the State Veterinarian and the Livestock and Poultry Health Division from Clemson University to the SC Department of Agriculture - referred to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
H.4587 – Representative Umphlett and others – A bill to transfer all agricultural public service activities from Clemson and SC State to the SC Department of Agriculture – referred to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
S.1 – Senator McConnell and others – A Joint Resolution to amend the SC Constitution to establish spending limits and establish a budget stabilization fund – pending on the Senate Contested Calendar.
S.2 – Senator McConnell and others – This bill implements an annual limit on the appropriation of state general fund revenues – pending in the Senate Finance Committee.
S.9 – Senator McConnell and others – A bill to establish energy efficiency and renewable energy goals for state government – recommitted to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.
S. 147 – Senators Campsen and Elliot – A bill to require the passage of a joint resolution prior allowing a bond authorization prior to the introduction and passage of a bill or joint resolution to authorize bonds for a given year – given an unfavorable report by the Sales and Income Taxation Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee.
S.377 – Senator Scott and others – A bill to require public institutions of higher education to develop a credit card marketing and solicitation policy – passed by the Senate and referred to the House Education and Public Works Committee.
S.452 – Senator Campbell and others – A bill relating to SC surface water withdrawal and reporting – pending on the Senate Calendar.
S.517 – Senator Davis and others – A Joint Resolution requiring certain fees charged by state agencies that are set by regulation to be approved by the General Assembly – passed by the Senate, sent to the House Ways and Means Committee.
S.553 – Senator Hutto – A bill to provide for the licensure and regulation of summer camps – pending in the House Judiciary Committee.
S.789 –Senator Rose and others – A bill to require all higher education institutions to maintain a web site that includes a record of all expenditures above one-hundred dollars – pending in the Senate Education Committee.
S.872 – Senator Bright – A bill to transfer the State Veterinarian and the Livestock and Poultry Health Division from Clemson University to the SC Department of Agriculture – tabled by a Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee.
S.932 – Senator Larry Martin – A bill related to prohibiting the release of swine into the wild – given a favorable report by the Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee.
S.1080 – Senators Malloy and Ford – A bill to repeal the sales tax exemption on textbooks, books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers, and access to on-line information – introduced and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
S.1114 – Senator Verdin and others – A Joint Resolution to approve regulations relating to Citrus Greening Disease by Clemson’s Regulatory and Public Service Division – passed the Senate and pending second reading on the House Calendar.
S.1115 – Senator Verdin and others – A Joint Resolution to approve regulations relating to P. ramorum quarantine – passed the Senate and pending second reading on the House Calendar.
S.1053 – Senators McConnell and Rose – A bill to prohibit state agencies from increasing any fee for services unless approved by the General Assembly – pending in a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee.
For a complete list of bills being tracked by Governmental Affairs please go to the State Relations page of the Office of Governmental Affairs Web site: http://www.clemson.edu/governmentalaffairs/.
FYI
President Barker testified before a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee in opposition to a bill by Senator Lee Bright (S.872) that would move all agricultural public service activities to the SC Department of Agriculture. This would include all functions of Clemson PSA and SC State PSA. After hearing testimony from Clemson, Farm Bureau, the SC Extension Advisory Council and other agriculture related organizations, the Subcommittee tabled the bill.
The Senate Education Committee amended the Higher Education Efficiency and Accountability Act (H.3365) and sent the bill to the Senate floor where it is pending approval by the full Senate.
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