S.C. House to Review & Recommend Changes to How it Operates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

S.C. House to Review & Recommend Changes to How it Operates

Speaker Pro Tempore Lucas appoints Special House Rules & Procedures Review Ad Hoc Committee

(Columbia, SC) – Today, House Speaker Pro Tempore Jay Lucas – under his authority as Acting House Speaker – announced the formation of a new Ad Hoc Committee to review and recommend changes on how the House currently operates and manages itself. Comprised of 17 House Members, The House Rules & Procedures Review Committee will examine current practices and rules, hold public meetings, seek input from House Members and the public to identify ways the Legislative Body can be more transparent and accountable.

“Any time major change occurs within an institution, it presents an opportunity for reflection and review of how that institution operates,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Lucas. “The House of Representatives has always been an early adopter of major reforms within state agencies to help facilitate more transparency and accountability in government. From time to time, a review of current practices and procedures is a good thing for any organization. This Committee now has an opportunity to perform such a review to ensure that the state’s elected body closest to the people is operating in a manner that bests serves our state and our constituents.”

Rep. Murrell Smith was appointed Chairman of the bipartisan 17-Member Special House Rules & Procedures Review Committee.

“The House is a very responsive body when it comes to taking on necessary reforms and acting in the public’s best interest,” Chairman Smith stated. “I appreciate Speaker Pro Tempore Lucas’s recognition that a review of the House’s operations needs to be an inclusive, deliberate process by proactively appointing this diverse Committee to make sure such a major undertaking is done right. As with any significant governmental reform effort, building momentum is just as important as identifying and instituting the right reforms.”

After every General Election, the House adopts an initial set of House Rules governing its operations as the very first action the Body takes during its biannual Organizational Session – traditionally, this has involved adopting the Rules from the previous session, as no rules governing debate or the acceptance and adoption of amendments technically exists at that point. Those Rules may be amended with a simple majority vote during the first month of session, but after that, it requires 2/3 vote to make further changes to its Rules mid-session.

Ways & Means Committee Chairman Brian White said, “The House regularly deals with some of the most complex and difficult issues facing our state. To effectively address these major issues, we need to make sure the House itself is operating in a way that allows this Body to continue being a leader on major reform efforts. I look forward to working with this Committee and House Leadership as we work to bring greater transparency and accountability to the people’s representative Body.”

Appointees to The S.C. House Rules & Procedures Ad Hoc Committee

Rep. G. Murrell Smith, Jr., Chairman (District 67 – Sumter)

Rep. Nathan Ballentine (District 71 – Richland)

Rep. Bruce W. Bannister (District 24 – Greenville)

Rep. Eric M. Bedingfield (District 28 – Greenville)

Rep. Beth E. Bernstein (District 78 – Richland )

Rep. Alan D. Clemmons (District 107 – Horry)

Rep. William “Bill” Clyburn (District 82 – Aiken)

Rep. Kristopher R. “Kris” Crawford (District 63 – Florence)

Rep. Michael W. “Mike” Gambrell (District 7 – Anderson)

Rep. David J. Mack, III (District 109 – Charleston)

Rep. Harold Mitchell, Jr. (District 31 – Spartanburg)

Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell (District 44 – Lancaster)

Rep. J. Todd Rutherford (District 74 – Richland)

Rep. James E. Smith, Jr. (District 72 – Richland)

Rep. F. Michael “Mike” Sottile (District 112 – Charleston)

Rep. J. David Weeks (District 51 – Sumter)

Rep. Donna Hicks Wood (District 37 – Spartanburg)

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