S.C. Legislators Say 'No Agenda' on Trip to Turkey

Although South Carolina has a relatively small Turkish population and no major trade with Turkey,  eight S.C. senators apparently thought  it was important enough to go on a 10-day, all-expenses-paid trip to the Middle Eastern country last year.

Greenville Citizen Reporter: Committee Chairmen Agree to Record Votes

Fourteen of 20 of the chairmen of key S.C. legislative committees have agreed to record votes taken at the committee and subcommittee levels, according to an Upstate transparency advocate.

Senator Proposes Putting Himself on SCRA Board

One of the state’s most powerful lawmakers has authored a bill that would put himself on the board of trustees and executive committee of a little-understood, state-controlled technology and real estate company.

Senators Keep Magistrates on Short Leash in 'Holdover' Status

Dozens of S.C. magistrates are still on their bench even though their four-year terms have expired - some years ago.

Padding the Legislative Session?

If S.C. Rep. Seth Whipper has his way, the 124-member House would start meeting every Monday when the General Assembly is in session.

House Pension Bill Protects Current Lawmakers

A House bill would allow current lawmakers to continue receiving their state pensions while remaining in office.

Governor, Former Lt. Governor Cases Highlight House Ethics Secrecy

A judge’s recent dismissal of an ethics lawsuit against Gov. Nikki Haley serves as yet another example of secrecy surrounding ethics matters in the S.C. House. So does the case of former Lt. Gov. Ken Ard, who pleaded guilty to seven campaign finance violations and resigned earlier this month.

Senate Clerk Still Mum on Budget Details

S.C. Senate Clerk Jeffrey Gossett apparently is in no mood to publicly discuss his chamber’s proposed $12 million-plus budget for next fiscal year.

Power Trip: The Legislature’s Double Standards on FOIA, Ethics and Spending

In South Carolina, there is one set of rules for state legislators, and another set of rules for everybody else – even state and local elected officials.

S.C. Legislature Uses Secrecy Law to Thwart Records Requests by Grassroots Groups

Grassroots groups pushing for more accountability and transparency in state government are running into a wall of secrecy in the S.C. General Assembly in trying to obtain legislative communications involving a controversial bill.

Still No Sunshine on S.C. House, Senate Spending

The S.C. House and Senate continue to bypass the normal budgetary process when it comes to adopting annual budgets for the two chambers.

Hundreds of Thousands Spent Annually Wining and Dining S.C. Lawmakers

An investigation by The Nerve found that several hundred thousand dollars likely will be spent before June wining and dining state lawmakers. A plethora of private organizations and public agencies host the events in an effort to get legislators’ ears – and ultimately, their votes – for the groups’ pet issues.

Secret Budget Process Continues in S.C. General Assembly

The S.C. House and Senate typically release their respective chamber budgets months after most other state agencies do so, allowing lawmakers to quietly increase their own budgets with little public scrutiny.

Senator Proposes Pension Changes for Lawmakers

S.C. Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Charleston pre-filed a bill (S. 1038) that would close the defined-benefit retirement program for the 170-member General Assembly after this year and move lawmakers into a defined-contribution plan mirroring the state Optional Retirement Program, which is like a 401k plan.

Legislators Exempt Themselves from Sunshine Law They Created

The state's open-records law for more than 30 years has shielded the S.C. General Assembly from releasing documents showing what it does behind the scenes.

State’s Top Court Asked to Remove Legislators from Aviation Authority

The S.C. Supreme Court has been asked to determine whether a 2007 law that appointed two state legislators to the Charleston County Aviation Authority, which owns Charleston International Airport, violates the state constitution.

Lawmaker State Plane Travel: Frequent Frivolous Miles

The Nerve’s review of Aeronautics Commission flight logs and manifests, or passenger lists, shows that from Jan. 1, 2010, through the end of last month, legislators collectively have approved at least 29 state plane trips for themselves, staff members or others to destinations in and outside South Carolina.

Midlands Lawmakers Still Milking Subsistence Cow

A review by The Nerve of state House and Senate expense records, obtained under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act, found that from the start of last year through August of this year, 23 Richland or Lexington County legislators living within 25 miles of the State House have received subsistence payments equal to or greater than payments to lawmakers who live farther away.

Dozens of S.C. Pensioners Earning Six Figures

As S.C. lawmakers grapple with how to close a recently projected $17 billion gap in the state pension system, 169 state retirees or their beneficiaries earn more than $100,000 annually in retirement benefits, while more than 3,500 individuals in the system receive at least $50,000 yearly, a review by The Nerve has found.

High Court Rejects ‘Power-of-One’ Practice

In a 4-1 vote, the state’s top court said the General Assembly violated the S.C. Constitution last year when it overrode former Gov. Mark Sanford’s veto of a bill (H. 4431) involving the Fairfield County School Board.

House Proposes to Boost its Budget by $2.3 Million

A year after the Senate received a $5 million overall budget increase for its 46-member chamber – as first reported last year by The Nerve – the 124-member House is seeking a nearly $2.3 million hike for itself, which was quietly slipped in a state budget amendment on the last day for regular business this legislative session.

Tens of Thousands Spent on Sign Namings

Since 2006, South Carolina has spent at least $60,000 on highway and other structure signs named after state lawmakers or other individuals, The Nerve found in a review of state transportation records.

Budget Secrecy Is Tradition at S.C. Legislature

As the S.C. General Assembly begins its 119th legislative session this week, the two chambers are maintaining a tradition of secrecy about their own operating budgets for the upcoming fiscal year.

The Nerve on Dec. 6 submitted requests under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act to House Clerk Charles Reid and Senate Clerk Jeffrey Gossett for their proposed chamber budgets for next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

Millions Flow to Senators’ Businesses

For some S.C. senators, it pays to have connections with state government.

From 2007 through 2009, S.C. Sen. Kevin Bryant’s pharmacy earned $5 million in payments through the state health plan and Medicaid programs, according to his statements of economic interests filed with the S.C. Ethics Commission.

Court Case Tests ‘Power of One’

The Legislature's single-vote practice of overturning vetoes on local legislation is being challenged in the S.C. Supreme Court.

Amid Recession, S.C. Senate Staff Gets Pay Raise

A nearly $5 million budget increase this year for the S.C. Senate is helping to cover pay raises for Senate staffers, despite assertions by leaders of the chamber that the money was needed for other, pressing concerns.

Lt. Gov Bauer Paid From Two Taxpayer Pots

Besides his salary as lieutenant governor, Andre Bauer has been paid thousands more is his role as the Senate president.

Midlands Lawmakers Feasting on Subsistence

Republican S.C. Sen. Jake Knotts of West Columbia lives less than 10 miles from the State House in downtown Columbia.

Democratic state Rep. Joe Neal’s home in Hopkins is only about 16 miles from the state Capitol.

Yet an analysis by The Nerve of legislative records found that the two veteran Midlands lawmakers were among 26 current or former Richland or Lexington County legislators who received a total of at least $500,000 over a 2.5-year period in “subsistence” payments.

Legislators Get an Average 32K Per Year

Taxpaying South Carolinians, if your state lawmaker looks you in the face and says his or her legislative salary is a lowly $10,400, he or she is not telling you the whole story.

At the very least.

At worst, a member of the General Assembly poor mouthing to that effect without mentioning several other forms of compensation legislators pocket would be downright disingenuous.

Exclusive: Lawmakers Cost Taxpayers Millions

The S.C. Legislature is no cheap date for taxpayers.

From Jan. 1, 2008, through this past July 31, state taxpayers shelled out at least $14.8 million to cover salaries and expenses for 202 current or former House and Senate members, The Nerve found in a review of records from each chamber, obtained under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act.

Golden Parachutes for State Lawmakers?

In South Carolina, retired legislators earn an annual average of $19,605 in gross retirement benefits, based on July figures from the state retirement system.

S.C. Senate: Charity Starts at Home

Assuming the budget passed Thursday by the full Senate mirrors an earlier version approved by the Senate Finance Committee, it would be the 46-member chamber’s largest-ratified budget in at least the past 12 years, according to a review by The Nerve of ratified state budgets since fiscal year 1998, the most recent data available

High-Priced Help at the State House

South Carolina taxpayers will shell out nearly $6.5 million this fiscal year for top-paid state House and Senate staffers.