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From the Dome to Your Home: June 26, 2015
The House of Representatives and Senate were in special session on
Tuesday to adopt the budget conference report. Governor Haley has until Monday,
June 29, at midnight to issue her vetoes. Both chambers adjourned on Tuesday
afternoon after amending the adjournment resolution to allow legislators to
debate legislation that would move the Confederate flag off of the State House
grounds this summer. Legislators were in Columbia on Wednesday to pay their
respects to the late Senator Clementa Pinckney as he laid in state in the State
House.
Budget conference report headed to the
governor
House and Senate members
adopted the conference reports on H3701, the state budget bill; H3702, the capital reserve bill; and
H4230, the supplemental appropriations bill
on Tuesday. Governor Haley has five days, excluding Sunday, to issue her vetoes
in the budget. The end of the fiscal year is Tuesday, June 30.
The budget includes $212.6 million in the Local Government Fund
for Fiscal Year 2015-2016. This total includes $200.1 million as the base
funding level and $12.5 million in one-time money. This total is the same amount
as the current year and $81.9 million less than full funding.
The budget includes $3.4 million in the Department of Public Safety
budget that includes $2.4 million base funding and $1 million one-time funding
for 2,000 body cameras.
Also included in the budget is the proviso that requires cities
and towns to negotiate an agreement with the circuit public defender to provide
indigents with a public defender in municipal court. The proviso prohibits the
circuit public defender from providing indigent defense in municipal court
without an agreement with the city or town.
The supplemental appropriations bill includes $216.3 million in
one-time money for county transportation committees to be spent on state
secondary roads.
For more information on
the state budget bill, contact Melissa Carter (mcarter@masc.sc) at
803.933.1251.
Resources
The Municipal Association
has developed several resources for local officials related to bills that passed
this session. This link is a full summary of the Uber bill
that passed earlier this month. This webpage outlines the law that governs the
oversight of transportation network companies and how it will affect cities
where they operate. Also, this webpage outlines the new law governing
agendas and adding items to the agenda. For more information on both of these
issues, contact Tiger Wells (twells@masc.sc) at
803.933.1270.
Confederate flag
On Tuesday when the House
and Senate reconvened in Columbia to adopt the budget conference report,
legislators also voted to amend their adjournment resolution to include debate
on moving the Confederate flag from the State House grounds. Lawmakers are
expected to return to Columbia later this summer to take up the issue. The
Municipal Association board of directors and the Association of SC Mayors board
of directors both endorsed removing the Confederate flag from the State House
grounds. For more information on this issue, contact Reba
Campbell (rcampbell@masc.sc) at
803.933.1245.
Weekly bill
introductions
No bills were introduced
this week that have an effect on cities and towns. Visit the
legislative tracking system to see and
comment on all bills pending in the House and Senate.
Passed bills
Committee Action This Week
No committee meetings were held this week.
Don’t forget to follow the
Municipal
Association on Twitter to get up-to-the-minute updates on
what’s happening every day at the State House. Follow us @MuniAssnSC.
The Municipal Association encourages reprints and reproductions
of this report; however, contact the Municipal Association for permission and
give credit for any reprints or re-use of this report.