THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
H.4182 (Higher Education Efficiency Act) was amended and passed favorably out of the House Ways and Means Higher Education Legislative Subcommittee.
The House Regulations and Administrative Procedures Committee approved two regulations supported by the State Crop Pest Commission. The new regulations would add certain plant pests (Emerald Ash Borer and Benghal Dayflower), as well as quarantine areas across the State. The South Carolina forest industry supports this quarantine.
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) will host the fifth in a series of town hall meetings on “College Access and Affordability in South Carolina” Thursday, March 15 at 5:30 pm at the Mary C. Canty Recreation Center, 971 Canal Street in Myrtle Beach, SC. CHE’s monthly newsletter, which contains a listing of upcoming town hall meetings, may be found here.
Grand Strand area Advocates, we would like for as many of you to attend as possible. Please respond via return email (bmcinni@clemson.edu) if you plan to attend or if you have questions.
BUDGET
The 2018-19 State Budget Process
The full South Carolina House of Representatives is scheduled to take up the state budget beginning at 1pm today.
As a reminder, the House Ways and Means version of the budget contains the following specifically for Clemson University:
Clemson E&G
– No new recurring funding
– $5 million in nonrecurring funding for SC’s Advanced Materials Industrial Competitiveness (Instruments)
Clemson PSA
– $2 million in recurring funding for Water Resource Research, Management and Technology
– $3 million in nonrecurring funding for Statewide Research and Education Facility Upgrades
– $3 million in nonrecurring funding for Facility Renovation for Water Research
The Committee’s version of the budget includes an increase in the cost of health insurance and an increase in retirement contributions for state employees and employers. The employee portion of both the health insurance and retirement contribution increases will be paid by the state.
Detailed information on Clemson’s 2018 state legislative and budget priorities for FY 2018-19 may be found at these links:
Clemson Education and General (E&G) Priorities
Clemson Public Service and Agriculture (PSA) Priorities
BILLS OF INTEREST
The Clemson University Governmental Affairs office is monitoring several bills that have potential impact on Clemson. A complete listing of these bills may be found here. Click on the bill number for a description of the legislation, along with the bill’s current status.
NEWS AND FYI
Please follow CU at the Capitol on Twitter. Current news coverage of interest may be found here.