THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
In accordance with state law, the South Carolina General Assembly adjourned sine die at 5 o’clock pm on Thursday, May 10. Since this was the second year of a two-year session, bills that did not pass this session died at the close of the session.
The Sine Die Resolution (H.5383) which was adopted by both the House and the Senate enables the General Assembly to return after sine die adjournment to work on the state budget, conference committee reports, and other items agreed on by both bodies. The dates for the General Assembly’s return are May 23-24 and June 27-28.
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) will host its next town hall meeting on “College Access and Affordability in South Carolina” this coming Thursday, May 17 at 5:30 pm at Aiken High School, 449 Rutland Drive in Aiken, South Carolina.
Aiken area Clemson Advocates, we’d like for as many of you as possible to attend this meeting. Please respond via return email to bmcinni@clemson.edu if you are able to attend.
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 budget conference committee members have been named and met on Monday, May 7. The Conference Committee is expected to resume deliberations tomorrow afternoon.
The members of the budget conference committee include:
Senate:
Senator Hugh Leatherman (R-Florence)
Senator Sean Bennett (R-Dorchester)
Senator John Matthews (D-Orangeburg)
House:
Rep. Brian White (R-Anderson)
Rep. Derham Cole (R-Spartanburg)
Rep. Bill Clyburn (D-Aiken)
Below is a summary of the items impacting Clemson University:
Clemson E&G
– $2,868,740 in recurring funding for Access and Affordability for In-state Students (Tuition Mitigation Funding) was included in both House and Senate versions – dollars are locked in
– $5 million in nonrecurring funding for SC’s Advanced Materials Industrial Competitiveness Instruments was included in both House and Senate versions – dollars are locked in
– $2.4 million in nonrecurring funding for deferred maintenance (Senate funded while House included $1 on budget line) – final amount to be determined in conference
– $300,000 in nonrecurring funding for STEM equipment (Senate funded while House included $1 on budget line) – final amount to be determined in conference
– $500,000 in recurring funding for Call Me Mister (Senate funded while House included $1 on budget line) – final amount to be determined in conference
– $1 million in nonrecurring funding for Health Extension Programming in HHS Office of Rural Health (Senate funded in proviso while House did not) – final amount to be determined in conference
Clemson PSA
– $1.5 million in recurring funding for Water Resource Research, Management and Technology in Senate version. House funded at $2 million – final amount will be determined in conference
– $500,000 in recurring funding for the Pinckney 4-H Scholars program in Senate version. This was not funded in House version – final amount will be determined in conference
– $3 million in nonrecurring funding for Statewide Research and Education Facility Upgrades was included in both House and Senate versions – dollars are locked in
– $3 million in nonrecurring funding for Facility Renovation for Water Research was included in both House and Senate version – dollars are locked in
– $6.8 million in nonrecurring funding for renovations to T. Ed Garrison Education and Conference Center (Senate funded while House included $1 on budget line) – final amount will be determined in conference
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.
NEWS AND FYI
Please follow CU at the Capitol on Twitter. Current news coverage of interest may be found here.
