SC Senate Passes Road Funding Bill; Goes Back to the House of Representatives

The SC Senate gave third reading to the road funding bill last week. The measure, which carried 30-15 without Democratic support, is an amended version of a bill (H.3579) approved last year by the S.C. House of Representatives.

The Senate’s bill does the following:

Funding

• The amendment would direct $400 million in recurring revenue from the state's General Fund to the state’s Highway Fund. There is no gas tax component in the amendment.

DOT Commission

• Governor appoints eight SCDOT commissioners, one from each Congressional District and one at-large that would serve as chair.
• Commissioners will continue to serve the four-year staggered terms they currently follow.
• DOT Commission would appoint DOT Secretary.
• Both the commission and the secretary would ultimately have to be confirmed by the Senate.

The State Infrastructure Bank

• Require the SIB to submit all road construction projects to the DOT commission for final approval.

The amended bill will now head to the House of Representatives.