South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus

Commission will review private lease proposals worth millions

Columbia, SC- The Senate today concurred with House amendments to H.4735, a joint resolution establishing the South Carolina Educational Broadband Service Commission. The commission will review proposals from private entities desiring to lease the excess closed-circuit spectrum that will soon become available on ETV’s statewide network. Private lease agreements could net the state millions. Estimated market value of the excess spectrum ranges from $70 million to over $160 million.

“I am excited this landmark opportunity now moves from concept to reality,” says Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry). “Expanded availability of public and private high-speed internet services will allow South Carolinians to more effectively compete in the 21st century global market place”. Senator Rankin chaired the Senate subcommittee that developed the idea behind the Broadband Service Commission.

Although similar, the digital conversion opening up the broadband spectrum is not associated with the digital conversion of the television broadcast signal scheduled for February of 2009. The expanded availability of wireless broadband will be available after ETV converts a closed-circuit system it currently uses to provide topic specific programming used by teachers in the classroom. The seven-member commission will oversee the final execution of all agreements resulting from an approved proposal and will be dissolved no later than June 30, 2010.

The bill will now be placed in line for ratification before heading to the Governor’s office for his signature.

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Legislative Oversight also advances

Columbia, SC- The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved the “South Carolina Restructuring Act,” a government-restructuring plan (H.3590) that will now go before the full Senate. The plan transfers many of the daily functions of state government into a new cabinet-level Department of Administration (DOA), which will make the Governor’s office more accountable for the day-to-day operations of state government. Currently, the Budget and Control Board performs many of these functions.

Although restructuring has been a high priority on Governor Sanford’s agenda, he will not be able to enjoy the fruits of his labor due to the term limits, which prevent him from seeking a third term. The effective date for the new DOA will coincide with the beginning of a new administration in January of 2011.

“I think it is legislation whose time has come,” says Senator Larry Martin (R-Pickens), chairman of the Senate subcommittee that first reviewed the bill. “This is purely an executive function that should be under the Office of the Governor - the Chief Executive Officer of the state - and not with the Budget and Control Board. It is the model that most every state uses and I just think it makes a lot of sense for South Carolina to move to this model.”

The proposed legislation would allow the Governor to appoint the department’s director, who will oversee 14 state offices. Offices that will move from the Budget and Control Board to the DOA includes among others: General Services, Human Resources, Executive Policy and Programs, and the State Chief Information Officer. Policy decisions will remain a function of the Budget and Control Board, which also has the authority to make certain interim decisions when the legislature is not in session.

The bill also contains legislative oversight provisions, which gives structure to a systematic, five-year cycle, review process. Details of the bill assign oversight jurisdiction of state agencies to specific standing committees in both the House and Senate. “It will formalize the oversight process and send a strong message to the agencies that the legislature is watching,” says Senator Martin.

Legislative oversight in the past has typically been the result of an acute need or problem within an agency or department. The proposed legislation provides a more formal structure under which the agency and the legislature can operate and creates an opportunity to address potential problems early in their development

Today’s approval of the government-restructuring plan sends it to the Senate floor, where it is expected to receive full debate before the end of the session. The current legislative session and the two-year legislative cycle end on June 5, 2008.

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Senator Catherine Ceips has been working hard to push real immigration reform in South Carolina. Call her today at 843-524-2020 and say “Thank You.”

www.thankyoucatherine.com

COLUMBIA — South Carolina faces a $22 billion shortfall in funds for needed work on roads and bridges over the next decade, according to a national study released Wednesday by a group pushing for more road construction.

At least 26 percent of the state’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition, and 25 percent of the state’s bridges show significant deterioration or don’t meet current design standards, according to the study, done by TRIP, a national nonprofit research group, for the South Carolina Alliance to Fix Our Roads.

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