South Carolina H 4736: Training for new Commission on Higher Education commissioners

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4736 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 25, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4736

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

March 25, 2026

H. 4736

Introduced 
by Reps. McGinnis and Edgerton 

S. Printed 3/25/26--H.

Read the first time January 13, 2026

________

The committee on House Education and 
Public Works

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 4736) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 59-103-12 so as to create a 
mandatory orientation training program for new members of the Commission on, etc., 
respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

SHANNON ERICKSON for Committee.

statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill requires CHE to establish a board 
orientation program designed to address the role, duties, and responsibilities 
of the commission for new commission members, to be conducted at least once 
during their first year of membership. The bill enumerates several requirements 
of the orientation and training program, including that commission members 
become familiar with their duties, accounting methods and fiduciary 
requirements of the commission, regulatory and statutory requirements of the commission, 
and other requirements related to higher education issues. 

The bill states that the orientation 
program and training must include at least six hours of education and 
instruction for the new commission members, which may be completed in one block 
or broken up over the course of a fiscal year. The executive director of CHE 
must report annually to the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee and the 
Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee the number of hours 
of training and development that each member of the commission received during 
the preceding fiscal year. 

CHE indicates 
that revising its current orientation program for new commissioners to meet the 
requirements in the bill would be managed under existing resources for the 
agency. The agency states that the continuing education and training 
requirements would require additional expenditures to accomplish. CHE states 
that for the ongoing training program for all commissioners, the agency would 
utilize the Association of Governing Boards (AGB). CHE reports that it would 
arrange a one-day training program conducted by an AGB consultant to provide 
general training on governing boards, their duties, and responsibilities for 
all commissioners for total non-recurring expenses of $20,000 in FY 2026-27. CHE 
further reports that the agency would send four commissioners and every new commissioner 
to the annual AGB conference, ensuring that each commissioner would attend the 
conference once in a four-year term at a cost of $3,800 per commissioner for 
total recurring expenses of $26,600. Therefore, this bill is expected to increase 
General Fund expenses for CHE by approximately $46,600 in FY 2026-27. Expenses 
will decrease to $26,600 each year thereafter. The agency indicates that 
additional General Funds would be needed to cover these expenses.

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
59-103-12 SO AS TO CREATE A MANDATORY ORIENTATION TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NEW 
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS 
FOR THE PROGRAM, TO REQUIRE THE CREATION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR COMMISSION MEMBERS, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
OF THE COMMISSION.

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

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 103, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
59-103-12. (A) New commissioners on 
the Commission on Higher Education board shall participate, at least once 
during their first year of membership, in a board orientation program. The 
board orientation program must be designed to address the role, duties, and 
responsibilities of the commission members.

 (B) 
The Executive Director for the Commission on Higher Education, in consultation 
with relevant staff and external stakeholders, shall develop a comprehensive 
board orientation program for new members of the commission as well as develop 
continuing education opportunities for all continuing members of the commission.

 (C) 
The orientation program and training must include, but is not limited to:

 (1) 
methods for meeting the statutory, regulatory, and fiduciary obligations of the 
commission;

 (2) 
commission members' duty to this State, with particular attention to their 
respective applicable statutory and