General Assembly to Return October 20th for Targeted Budget Cuts
(Columbia, SC) – In a joint statement about the Legislature returning to make targeted budget cuts, House Speaker Bobby Harrell and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell said:
“The House and Senate will return in session Monday, October 20th in order to make targeted budget cuts. Using input from members from both bodies and the Executive Branch, House and Senate Leaders are putting together a proposed plan and have been seeking input from members.
“The plan will make targeted cuts to agencies while protecting the funding for some of the most critical areas of government. Additionally, we are recommending that our cuts need to go beyond the 6 percent requirement of the Board of Economic Advisors. Our budget plan will go an additional percentage point and addresses a 7 percent reduction in spending to better secure this budget and future budgets.
“No Representative or Senator will receive any salary for the time spent in Columbia working on this budget plan. Reimbursements for mileage and lodging will be available for members.
“In an effort to save the taxpayers as much money as possible, we knew a plan must be in hand before a date was set. This date to return was decided by the House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tempore today and we have been contacting members today to try and give them as much time as possible to prepare for a Legislative session next week.
“To pass this measure, a bill must be reported out and read three times in each body. By law, each of the three readings must take place on separate legislative days. This Friday, October 17th at 10:00 am the House Ways and Means Committee will meet to debate these cuts and report out a bill containing targeted cuts. The full House will take up that bill when it convenes at Noon on the 20th. Also, the Senate Finance committee will begin meeting on the targeted cuts Monday, October 20th.”
