Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:4321 Ratification Number:296 Act Number:526 Primary Sponsor:McAbee Type of Legislation:JR Subject:Social Services Board, expiration of members' terms Date Bill Passed both Bodies:Mar 03, 1992 Computer Document Number:BR1/2010.AC Governor's Action:S Date of Governor's Action:Mar 05, 1992 Introduced Date:Jan 30, 1992 Date of Last Amendment:Feb 27, 1992 Last History Body:------ Last History Date:Oct 07, 1992 Last History Type:Act No. 526 Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:McAbee Whipper Keegan Gonzales Hallman Rhoad Koon G. Bailey G. Brown Clyborne Chamblee McLeod Sturkie Fulmer Rama Sharpe Boan Waites Rogers Klapman Keyserling Tucker Jennings Townsend Smith Corning Shirley Glover Harrison Jaskwhich Wells Riser Ross Mattos Kirsh McElveen Shissias Wilkins Corbett Huff Haskins Hodges Meacham P. Harris A. Young L. Elliott Sheheen Littlejohn White Beatty Felder Phillips Taylor Inabinett Cole McCraw Byrd H. Brown Kennedy D. Elliott Fair Wofford Carnell D. Williams Bruce Bennett Scott Kempe D. Martin Stone Hendricks Marchbanks J. Brown Cork Foster Snow Altman L. Martin Harvin Kinon Houck Cato McGinnis Baker Delleney Wilkes Farr Type of Legislation:Joint Resolution
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN ---- ------ ------------ ------------------------------ --- 4321 ------ Oct 07, 1992 Act No. 526 4321 ------ Mar 05, 1992 Signed by Governor 4321 ------ Mar 04, 1992 Ratified R 296 4321 Senate Mar 03, 1992 Concurred in House amendment, enrolled for ratification 4321 House Feb 27, 1992 Senate amendments amended, returned to Senate 4321 Senate Feb 20, 1992 Amended, read third time, returned to House with amendments 4321 Senate Feb 19, 1992 Read second time, ordered to third reading with notice of general amendments, carrying over all amendments to third reading 4321 Senate Feb 13, 1992 Committee Report: Favorable 08 with amendment 4321 Senate Feb 06, 1992 Introduced, read first time, 08 referred to Committee 4321 House Feb 05, 1992 Read third time, sent to Senate 4321 House Feb 04, 1992 Read second time 4321 House Jan 30, 1992 Introduced, read first time, placed on Calendar without referenceView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
(R296, H4321)
A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT THE TERMS OF OFFICE FOR THE PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES ARE TERMINATED; TO TRANSFER TEMPORARILY ALL POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD TO THE STATE BUDGET AND CONTROL BOARD; TO DIRECT THE BUDGET AND CONTROL BOARD TO APPOINT AN INTERIM COMMISSIONER; TO PROVIDE THAT THE CURRENT COMMISSIONER SHALL REMAIN AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY RESTRUCTURING OF THE DEPARTMENT MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW AND CERTAIN CHANGES APPROVED BY THE BUDGET AND CONTROL BOARD; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COUNTY BOARDS OF SOCIAL SERVICES ARE ONLY ADVISORY TO THE COUNTY DIRECTORS; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OF SOCIAL SERVICES ARE TEMPORARILY UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
Whereas, the State Department of Social Services is the state's public welfare agency with a total budget of five hundred thirty-two million, one hundred six thousand, six hundred fifty-eight dollars; and
Whereas, the State Department of Social Services provides critical services to the state's most needy and vulnerable citizens and has a projected budget deficit in excess of fifteen million dollars; and
Whereas, the General Assembly is gravely concerned with the inability of the current South Carolina Board of Social Services to fulfill its basic statutory duties and its inability to work effectively with the agency's own employees, to cooperate with other agencies and branches of state government, and, importantly, to cooperate with and assist the General Assembly and the Executive Branch in efforts to help resolve the many financial and organizational problems of the State Department of Social Services; and
Whereas, the General Assembly recognizes the continuing divisions within the board and the failure of the commissioner and the board to work effectively in providing leadership, motivation, and purpose to the staff which is vital to ensuring proper oversight and accounting for the limited public resources allocated to this state agency; and
Whereas, the General Assembly recognizes that the inadequate management of this agency raises serious and legitimate doubt among the citizens of the State as to the ability of the incumbent leaders to fulfill the missions of this agency; and
Whereas, the lack of confidence in the leadership compels the General Assembly to act to avert a deepening crisis among the increasing number of our citizens who depend upon the services provided by this agency and the taxpayers who demand and rightly should expect the public resources to be properly managed and accounted for; and
Whereas, the continued independence of forty-six separate county operations of the State Department of Social Services does not allow for uniformity in and coordination of services or accountability; and
Whereas, in order to provide uniformity in and coordination of services and to assure accountability of the county operations of the departments of social services, it is necessary to place all county directors of the local departments of social services in a chain of authority directly under the State Commissioner of Social Services; and
Whereas, the General Assembly acknowledges that it is charged by statute with the responsibility to elect the members of the South Carolina Board of Social Services, and the General Assembly also recognizes that it is charged by Section 1, Article XII of the Constitution of South Carolina to provide for appropriate agencies; and
Whereas, Commissioner James L. Solomon, Jr., has announced his retirement from the State Department of Social Services effective June 30, 1992. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Powers of board transferred; authority of county boards and directors revised
SECTION 1. The terms of office of the present members of the South Carolina Board of Social Services are terminated on the effective date of this resolution.
All powers and duties of the South Carolina Board of Social Services are transferred temporarily to the State Budget and Control Board until the General Assembly again may address this matter.
The Budget and Control Board shall appoint an interim commissioner to assume the responsibilities of the current State Commissioner of Social Services, James L. Solomon, Jr. Upon the effective date of this resolution, Mr. Solomon shall remain an employee of the department at his current salary, receive full benefits, and serve in a consulting capacity to the interim commissioner and report directly to him until the effective date of his retirement. The interim commissioner shall report to the Budget and Control Board and serves at the pleasure of the board. Restructuring or reorganization of the department must be consistent with existing law. An internal structural or organizational change during this interim period must be approved by the Budget and Control Board.
The county boards of social services serve only in an advisory capacity to the county directors. The directors of the county departments of social services are placed temporarily under a chain of authority directly under and answerable to the State Commissioner of Social Services until the General Assembly takes other action on this matter.
Time effective
SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
In the Senate House March 4, 1992.
Nick A. Theodore,
President of the Senate
David M. Beasley,
Speaker Pro Tempore of the
House of Representatives
Approved the 5th day of March, 1992.
Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.,
Governor
Printer's Date -- March 20, 1992 -- S.