South Carolina S 318: Sally Cauthen Retirement

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 318 Text of Previous Version (May. 08, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 318

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

As Adopted By The Senate

May 8, 2025

S. 318

Introduced by Senators Goldfinch, Alexander, 
Johnson, Fernandez, Gambrell, Stubbs, Grooms, Climer, Leber, Cash, Kimbrell, 
Davis, Young, Peeler, Corbin, Turner, Rice, Verdin, Garrett, Bennett, Martin, 
Kennedy, Cromer, Adams and Zell 

S. Printed 5/8/25--S.

Read the first time February 5, 2025

________

A joint Resolution

SO AS TO ENACT THE "COMMISSION ON FISCAL RESTRAINT AND 
GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY"; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION; TO 
PROVIDE FOR THE COMMISSION'S DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS; TO PRIORITIZE SPENDING 
CUTS AND ESTABLISH A DATE THAT THE SPENDING CUTS MUST BE REPORTED TO THE 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNOR; TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPORT ON THE 
COMMISSION'S OTHER DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS; AND TO SUNSET THE COMMISSION.

 Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Delivery of Government Efficiency 
Commission Act."

SECTION 2. (A) There is created the Delivery of Government 
Efficiency Commission. The voting members of the commission shall be comprised 
of:

 (1) three 
members appointed by the President of the Senate;

 (2) three 
members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

 (3) three 
members appointed by the Governor from the State at large. 

 (B) The voting 
members of the commission may not be a member of the General Assembly or 
otherwise have a conflict of interest. If a commission member has a "conflict 
of interest" a commission member shall recuse themselves from participating in 
any matter where it is reasonably foreseeable that the commission member will 
derive a direct financial benefit or suffer a direct financial loss as a result 
of a particular outcome that might reasonably be reached by the commission.

 (C) Membership on 
the commission shall not constitute holding an "office" for the purpose of the 
prohibition on dual office holding in Section 3, Article VI and Section 1A, 
Article XVII of the South Carolina Constitution, 1895.

 (D) The commission 
shall be chaired by the Director of the Department of Administration, or her 
designee. The Director of the Department of Administration's designee may not 
be a member of the General Assembly. The commission chair shall be a non-voting 
member.

 (E) Commissioners 
shall serve without compensation and are not entitled to mileage, subsistence, 
or per diem as provided by law for members of state boards, committees, and 
commissions.

 (F) The commission 
shall utilize staff from the General Assembly and the executive branch at the 
discretion of the chair. The commission may also engage third-party consultants 
or other experts in related fields to fulfill its duties and obligations.

 (G) The commission 
shall not have the power to issue a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum.

SECTION 3. The commission 
shall conduct a survey of the structure and funding of state government to 
determine how to modernize it so that state government is less costly and more 
efficient for our state's taxpayers. In fulfilling its duties and obligations 
the commission shall:

 (1) review 
appropriations in the state budget and identify areas for spending reductions;

 (2) review the 
Code of Regulations to determine which regulations can be repealed to reduce 
the regulatory burden on businesses operating our State, specifically small and 
medium sized businesses;

 (3) review the 
Code of Regulations to determine which regulations can be repealed to reduce 
the regulatory burden on our citizens' property rights;

 (4) identify 
redundant, conflicting, or oppressive regulations;

 (5) identify 
government programs, agencies, departments, boards, and commissions that can be 
eliminated, consolidated, or otherwise restructured in order to increase 
government efficiency; and

 (6) conduct other 
reviews and make other recommendations that the commission identifies as being 
necessary and proper to reduce spending, increase efficiency, and reduce the state 
government's burden on our citizens' quality of life or economic development.

 (7) committee shall 
not have access to an individual's personal, financial, or medical information.

SECTION 4. The 
commission shall first undertake the review of appropriations in the state 
budget to identify areas where spending reductions are appropriate. The 
commission's findings shall identify the amount of recommended reductions and 
identify the source of the reductions as specifically as possible, down to the 
program or subprogram level if possible. The commission shall repo