SC senators to debate changing Transportation Department structure

State senators will debate Wednesday whether to give the governor more control of the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

Changing who controls the Transportation Department – legislators now do – is a key demand of Republican Gov. Nikki Haley. But giving the governor control of the agency could face opposition from senators.

“The real issue with (the Transportation Department) is whether or not we fund the roads,” said Sen. John Scott, D-Richland.

Seven of eight Transportation Department commission members now are appointed by legislative delegations. But Haley wants that changed before she will sign off on a gas-tax increase to fix the state’s battered roads. She also wants an income-tax reduction.

“(To) restructure DOT for the sole purpose of just getting the money – that’s not the way that’s supposed to work,” Scott said. “That gives me some real heartburn.”

Under the current structure, only one commission member is appointed by the governor.

Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley, is proposing a nine-member Transportation Department commission. Members would be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. Commissioners then would appoint a secretary of Transportation, who would have to be confirmed by the Senate.

Haley would prefer to appoint the Transportation secretary and have the agency report directly to her. However, she has indicated she could accept a proposal that gives the governor more control over the agency.

The S.C. House Ways and Means Committee has passed a proposal saying all eight Transportation commission members should be appointed by the governor. Those appointments would be screened by the Joint Transportation Review Committee, made up of House and Senate members. Transportation commissioners, who would serve a maximum of 12 consecutive years, would appoint a secretary of Transportation who would have to be approved by the Senate.

The full House will consider that proposal when its members return to Columbia April 14 after a two-week furlough.

This story was originally published March 31, 2015 at 7:28 PM with the headline "SC senators to debate changing Transportation Department structure."