South Carolina General Assembly

General Appropriations Bill H. 4700 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1998

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10     SECTION 53 - X50 - TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF
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12          53.1.   (DOT: Expenditure Authority Limitation) The Department of Transportation is hereby authorized to expend all cash balances
13     brought forward from the previous year and all income including all Federal Funds, unexpended General Funds and proceeds from bond
14     sales accruing to the Department of Transportation, but in no case shall the expenditures of the Department of Transportation exceed the
15     amount of cash balances brought forward from the preceding year plus the amount of all income including Federal Funds, General Funds
16     and proceeds from bond sales.
17          53.2.   (DOT: Special Fund Authorization)  The Department of Transportation with the approval of the State Treasurer, is hereby
18     authorized to set up with the State Treasurer such special funds out of the Department of Transportation funds as may be deemed advisable
19     for proper accounting purposes.
20          53.3.   (DOT: Secure Bonds & Insurance)  The Department of Transportation is hereby authorized to secure bonds and insurance
21     covering such activities of the Department as may be deemed proper and advisable, due consideration being given to the security offered
22     and the service of claims.
23          53.4.   (DOT: Statewide Cost Allocation Plan)  The Department of Transportation shall pay into the General Fund of the State the sum
24     of $4,879,223 as its proportionate share of the cost of Administration of central service agencies as follows:
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26            Statewide Cost Allocation Plan:
27                     Collection of Highway Revenue                        $ 3,069,811
28                     Central Service Agency Recoveries                      1,103,894
29                     Other Indirect Cost Recoveries                                705,518
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31                     Subtotal                                                              $ 4,879,223
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33     The sum of $362,093 is also transferred for the support of the Highway Patrol and Motor Vehicle Licensing Division which was
34     transferred during restructuring.  If fees generated by Title 56 for motor vehicle licenses exceed the BEA Fiscal Year 1996-97 forecast, the


SECTION 53 - X50 - TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF PAGE 464 1 amount transferred may be reduced proportionately. 2 3 Highway Fund Transfer $ 362,093 4 5 Total Remittance $5,241,316 6 7 53.5. (DOT: Benefits) Employees of the Department of Transportation shall receive equal compensation increases, health insurance 8 benefits and employee bonuses provided in this Act for employees of the State generally. The amount will be funded from Department of 9 Transportation funding sources. 10 53.6. (DOT: Document Fees) The Department of Transportation is hereby authorized to establish an appropriate schedule of fees to 11 be charged for copies of records, lists, bidder's proposals, plans, maps, etc. based upon approximate actual costs and handling costs of 12 producing such copies, lists, bidder's proposals, plans, maps, etc. 13 53.7. (DOT: Commissions Per Diem, Subsistence, Mileage) Members of the Department of Transportation Commission shall 14 receive such per diem, subsistence and mileage for each official meeting as is provided by law for members of boards, commissions and 15 committees. 16 53.8. (DOT: Employ Legal/Support Staff) The Department of Transportation shall have the authority with the approval of the 17 Attorney General to employ, within existing authorized positions, necessary legal and support staff to represent the Department in legal 18 matters, including condemnation proceedings and other litigation; such representation shall be under the jurisdiction and control of the 19 Attorney General. 20 53.9. (DOT: Contract Mass Transit System) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department of Transportation is 21 hereby authorized to directly contract mass transit funds with any private operator of a mass transit system to provide service to the 22 general public; provided, that a plan of service has been established and approved by the local general purpose government which has 23 jurisdiction for the area to be served, and approved by the Department, the Transportation Commission and the federal government. 24 53.10. (DOT: Relax Design/Construction Standards Authority) In recognition of budgetary restraints, the Department of 25 Transportation, its Commission, officers and employees, are herewith granted the discretionary authority to relax design and construction 26 standards for the current fiscal year, with respect to highway projects in the secondary State highway system, and the exercise of such 27 discretionary authority to relax design and construction standards shall not give rise to any liability on the part of the Department, its 28 Commission, officers and employees. 29 53.11. (DOT: Accounting Functions Transferred to Comptroller General and State Treasurer) The Department of Transportation 30 shall transfer $471,500 to the General Fund for the purpose of servicing the accounting and payroll functions of the Comptroller 31 General's Office. The Department of Transportation shall transfer $123,546 to the General Fund for servicing the functions of the State 32 Treasurer's Office. 33 53.12. (DOT: Employee Bonus) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department of Transportation shall be allowed to 34 spend monies to provide selected employees a one-time lump sum bonus not to exceed $1,000, based on objective guidelines established
SECTION 53 - X50 - TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF PAGE 465 1 by the Budget and Control Board. This payment is not a part of the employee's base salary and is not earnable compensation for purposes 2 of employee and employer contributions to respective retirement systems. 3 53.13. (DOT: Restructuring-Maintenance Activities) The Department of Transportation shall begin restructuring operations so as to 4 reduce maintenance activities performed with Department personnel and equipment. This restructuring shall be completed no later than 5 June 30, 1998. As part of this restructuring effort, the Department shall endeavor to use private contractors for: bridge replacements; 6 surface treatment (Class A surfacing/seal coating); thermo-plastic striping; traffic signals; fencing; and guardrails whenever possible. 7 53.14. (DOT: Coordinate Transportation Funding and Resources) The Department of Transportation shall continue to carry out and 8 enhance the coordination planning and demonstration process for public transportation funding and resources established during the prior 9 fiscal year. Progress reports shall be submitted to the General Assembly at two intervals using the fiscal year--an interim progress report 10 no later than January 15, 1998, and a follow-up report of progress and plans for the upcoming year no later than May 15, 1998. The intent 11 of this proviso is to improve access and delivery of transportation services, especially in rural areas. In planning and developing 12 mechanisms for increasing coordination of funding streams and resources at both the state and local levels, the Department of 13 Transportation shall work with each agency that provides funding for transportation and assure input in the process from major local 14 providers of transportation services to the public, including current providers of coordinated public service. 15 Any agency, local government or other entity, including non-profit organizations, using state funds or state-administered federal funds 16 for the purpose of transporting private citizens on a regular basis, 1) must provide input and information as requested by the Department of 17 Transportation in a timely manner and in a format specified by the Department of Transportation in order to update data on transportation 18 resources for planning purposes and; 2) show evidence of progress toward the development of or participation in a coordination plan. The 19 Department of Corrections, the Department of Education, school districts and institutions of higher education are exempt from the 20 requirements of this section. No transportation funds may be provided to any entity not in compliance with the requirements of this 21 section. 22 53.15. (DOT: Payroll Deduction for Uniform Rental) The Department of Transportation, upon the written request of an employee, 23 shall make deduction from the employee's compensation for payments for work related uniform rental. 24 53.16. (DOT: Greenville Transit Authority) The Department of Transportation shall transfer $100,000 above the normal allocation 25 of mass transit funds to the Greenville Transit Authority. 26