H 4101 General Bill, By I.K. Rudnick, W.S. Houck, R. Smith, Stille and 
C.H. Stone
 A Bill to amend Section 44-15-60, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina,
 1976, relating to the establishment and membership of community mental health
 boards, so as to provide that the governing body of any county wherein the
 board provides mental health services must be furnished a copy of the board's
 present budget or budget in process upon request within ten days of the
 request.

   04/14/93  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-65
   04/14/93  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-66

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 44-15-60, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MEMBERSHIP OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARDS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE GOVERNING BODY OF ANY COUNTY WHEREIN THE BOARD PROVIDES MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MUST BE FURNISHED A COPY OF THE BOARD'S PRESENT BUDGET OR BUDGET IN PROCESS UPON REQUEST WITHIN TEN DAYS OF THE REQUEST.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 44-15-60 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 382 of 1992, is further amended to read:

"Section 44-15-60. Every county, city, town municipality, or political subdivision, or combination of them, establishing a community mental health services program, before it may come within this article, shall establish a community mental health board to be made up of not less than seven nor more than fifteen members. Membership of the boards, so far as may be practicable, must be representatives of local health departments, medical societies, county welfare boards, hospital boards, and lay associations concerned with mental health as well as labor, business, and civic groups, and the general public. At least one member of the board must be a medical doctor licensed to practice medicine in this State. The members must be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of a majority of the members of the legislative delegations of the counties participating. The legislative delegations and the Governor shall consider consumer and family representation when recommending and appointing members to the board. By resolution a county legislative delegation may delegate to the governing body of the county they represent the authority to recommend board members to the Governor. The resolution is not revocable, and copies of the resolution must be sent to the Governor, the Department of Mental Health, and the governing bodies of the counties concerned. The number of members representing each county must be proportional to its share of the budget. The governing body of any county wherein the board provides mental health services must be furnished a copy of the board's present budget or budget in process upon request within ten days of the request. The term of office of each member of the community mental health board is four years and until the member's successor is appointed. Vacancies must be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as original appointments. A member of a board may be removed by the Governor for neglect of duty, misconduct, or malfeasance in office, after being given a written statement of charges and an opportunity to be heard on them. A person may serve consecutive terms."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.