H 3005 General Bill, By Campsen, Delleney, Davenport, Altman, 
Meacham-Richardson, Stille, J. Young, Simrill, Walker, Robinson, Merrill, 
Easterday and Rice
 A BILL TO ENACT THE SOUTH CAROLINA ZERO-BASE BUDGET ACT BY ADDING CHAPTER 32
 IN TITLE 2, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE GENERAL
 ASSEMBLY, BY ESTABLISHING THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON ZERO-BASE BUDGET REVIEW AND
 PROVIDE FOR ITS MEMBERSHIP, POWERS, AND DUTIES.

   12/06/00  House  Prefiled
   12/06/00  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
   01/09/01  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-15
   01/09/01  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-15

TO ENACT THE SOUTH CAROLINA ZERO-BASE BUDGET ACT BY ADDING CHAPTER 32 IN TITLE 2, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY ESTABLISHING THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON ZERO-BASE BUDGET REVIEW AND PROVIDE FOR ITS MEMBERSHIP, POWERS, AND DUTIES.

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

SECTION    1.    Title 2 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    Section 2-32-10.    This chapter may be cited as the South Carolina Zero-Base Budget Act.

    Section 2-32-20.    In enacting this chapter it is the intent of the General Assembly to provide a systematic quadrennial review of all state agencies, boards, commissions, and institutions for the sole purpose of determining if there are ongoing programs that can be eliminated, consolidated with others, or modified.

    Section 2-32-30.    There is established the Joint Zero-Base Budget Committee consisting of twelve members. Four must be members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker, four must be members of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore, and four must be persons from the private sector with backgrounds in auditing and accounting, two each of whom must be appointed by the Speaker and President Pro Tempore. In making legislative appointments, the Speaker and President Pro Tempore shall appoint members whose legislative experience corresponds to dealing with agencies scheduled for review for that year. Legislative members shall serve ex officio for a term of one year. Nonlegislative members shall serve for terms of two years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. Members shall serve without compensation, but are allowed the mileage, subsistence, and per diem allowed by law for members of state boards, committees, and commissions, to be paid from the approved accounts of both houses. Vacancies must be filled in the manner of original appointment, for the unexpired portion of the term.

    Section 2-32-40.    (A)    The joint committee shall order an audit of each agency scheduled for review either by the Legislative Audit Council or by private firms, depending on funding. Audits must be completed by July first of the year the agency is scheduled for review. The joint committee shall meet regularly throughout the year and examine the missions, programs, and budgets of all state agencies, boards, committees, and institutions according to a schedule it shall determine, grouping agencies by subject matter and scheduling agencies for review so that an agency is reviewed quadrennially by the joint committee. The schedule may be established so that state agencies with the largest budgets are reviewed initially, after which the schedule may conform to review of agencies expending approximately one-fourth of state revenues in each year. The joint committee may call upon the staff resources of the two houses, special service agencies for both houses, the State Budget and Control Board, and such other staff assistance as it may require in the conduct of agency reviews. Agency heads shall cooperate fully and promptly with the joint committee requests and shall provide review data in the format the joint committee requires.

    (B)    This review conducted by the joint committee is limited to the following parameters:

        (1)    Is the agency's mission a proper and efficient use of public resources?

        (2)    Is there any agency, or agency program that should be eliminated, modified, or consolidated with other programs or agencies and in so doing, continue to provide or improve the provisions of needed public services?

        (3)    Is the agency using its budget and personnel in the most efficient manner?

        (4)    Is the agency or its mission a candidate for privatization?

    (C)    The joint committee's review does not extend to and may not consider any recommendation for new programs or new spending, or both.

    (D)    The joint committee shall complete its work and submit a report and recommendations by October first of each year to the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and the chairman of each standing committee of each house having subject matter jurisdiction over the agencies reviewed."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect July 1, 2002.