It took five years and about six weeks for the Senate to unanimously agree on major changes to how state government operates.
Sheheen was a chief sponsor of restructuring bill
Today the state Senate ended six weeks of its debate on a bill to restructure the responsibilities of state government. The bill is actually the culmination of years of work. It satisfies Gov. Haley’s continued call for a Department of Administration to take over some of the functions of the State Budget and Control Board. Other operations will be taken over by existing agencies. Some operations, senators hope, will disappear, eliminating duplication of services.
Gov. Haley, since she took office, has called the Budget and Control Board’ a “big green bureaucratic monster” because of its far-reaching role in state government. This bill began in the House (H. 3066)and has changed dramatically since then. It will now go back to the House.
Senator Vince Sheheen (D-Kershaw), who has worked on the issue for years, was asked to summarize the bill just before the Senate took a final vote Thursday.
AUDIO: Sheheen explains why today’s vote is historic (4:34)
A few highlights of this exhaustive bill, which:
-establishes a new SC Department of Administration under the governor
-abolishes SC Budget and Control Board and, over time, redistributes its responsibilities among existing and new agencies.
- gives legislators more oversight over agency spending and deficits
-establishes the Procurement Oversight Board to be comprised of three members appointed to four-year terms with one member each appointed by the governor, the comptroller general, and the state treasurer
