The SC Legislature returns January 14. Here’s what you can expect.
Hot Topics
- Education Reform
The House passed their version of education reform in 2019 and sent it to the Senate. The Senate has taken their version of the bill on the road and has now sent their bill through the Education Committee. Expect the bill to be debated by the full Senate almost immediately when they return to Columbia. Ultimately, this will head to a Conference Committee between the House and Senate to develop a compromise bill. Look for this bill to pass before or around mid-March, when filing opens for statehouse elections. Current legislators want this “win” before election season hits. - Santee Cooper
Right after Education Reform, the Santee Cooper debacle will be the other top priority. With bandaid fixes scattered 2018-2019, the legislature will hopefully get things sorted this year. It’s a complex issue that directly impacts about half the state, and indirectly impacts everyone.
State Arts Funding
- Arts Education Funding
The SC Arts Commission requested a $500,000 increase in recurring arts education funding. The monies requested are controlled first by the Education Oversight Committee who, in mid-November, passed their recommendations on to the House Ways & Means Committee. The EOC included the full $500,000 request in their recommendations. Funding will go specifically to the ABC Project and help them reach more students and schools. The House will take up the budget first, with hearings set through February, before passing their recommendations on to the Senate. Read the full Issue Brief here. - Grant Funding
The SCAC requested a $1,000,000 increase in recurring funding for grants in a few key areas: General Operating Support, Leadership Development, Rural Community Outreach, Arts & Veterans Pilots, and Arts Education. The House will take up the budget first, with hearings set through February, before passing their recommendations on to the Senate. Read the full Issue Brief here. - Capital Needs Improvements – New Program
With an expected surplus of almost $2 billion for the state, the SCAC requested one-time funding for an arts facility improvement grant program – a $3.8 million request. These funds would provide a new, and temporary, grant program to help arts facilities across the state make needed improvements such as HVAC, ADA compliance, and more. The House will take up the budget first, with hearings set through February, before passing their recommendations on to the Senate. Read the full Issue Brief here.
Note: Gov. McMaster releases his Executive Budget on January 13. Become a free member of the SCAA, and follow us on Facebook, to get updates regarding his support for these funding measures.
The Docket
Our annual list of bills which have the potential to impact the arts has been updated for this legislative year. These bills were all pre-filed in late 2019. Bills that were filed last year are still “live”, and we’ve kept some of those on our list for this year. There are four new bills in the House we’re watching, and no new bills in the Senate, so far.
Recap: Federal Issues
The end of 2019 brought about a number of positive “wins” for the arts.
- NEA Funding
Up $7.25m to $162.25 million. The largest single increase in over a decade. (Up from $146 million since 2016) - Arts Education
Renewed $30 million in the US Department of Education. - Veterans Affairs
New line item of $5 million for creative arts therapies for veterans. - Department of Defense
Language directing the DoD to increase support for arts therapies. - Juvenile Justice
Language directing the DoJ to include arts-based juvenile programs in their plans.
