THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
The Senate was on furlough last week.
Tomorrow marks the General Assembly’s crossover deadline for legislation to be sent to the opposite chamber from which it was introduced.
The House of Representatives adjourned Thursday afternoon, April 5, before taking up H.4182 (SC Higher Education Efficiency Act). Despite efforts to position the bill for second reading so that it could meet the crossover deadline of April 10, the House got into a contentious debate on a bill related to solar energy and adjourned before completing the calendar. Our team will continue to work to achieve passage by the House this week. However, it will now require a 2/3 vote by the Senate to be heard.
Please keep an eye out for important calls to action on H.4182.
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) hosted the latest in a series of town hall meetings on “College Access and Affordability in South Carolina” in Spartanburg on Thursday, April 5, 2018.
The next town hall is scheduled for Thursday, April 19 in Beaufort with the time and location yet to be determined. Beaufort area Advocates, we’d like for as many of you as possible to attend. Stay tuned for more details in separate email.
CHE’s monthly newsletter, which contains a listing of upcoming town hall meetings, may be found here.
BUDGET
The 2018-19 State Budget Process
The Senate is scheduled to begin deliberations on the state budget today.
Below is a summary of the current budget as it relates Clemson University:
Clemson E&G
– $2,868,740 in recurring funding for Access and Affordability for Instate Students – Tuition Mitigation Funding (No recurring funding in the House)
– $5 million in nonrecurring funding for SC’s Advanced Materials Industrial Competitiveness (Instruments) (House funded $5 million)
– $2.4 million in nonrecurring funding for deferred maintenance (not funded by the House)
– $300,000 in nonrecurring funding for STEM equipment (not funded by the House)
Clemson PSA
– $1.5 million in recurring funding for Water Resource Research, Management and Technology (House funded $2 million)
– $500,000 in recurring funding for the Pinckney 4-H Scholars program and Comprehensive Statewide Extension Programs (not funded by the House)
– $3 million in nonrecurring funding for Statewide Research and Education Facility Upgrades (same as the House)
– $3 million in nonrecurring funding for Facility Renovation for Water Research(same as the House)
The current 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 will be paid by the state. The employer portion of both will have to be covered by the university.
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.