SC House Approves New Version of Restructuring

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – The South Carolina House has approved a new version of a bill overhauling the agency that handles much of state government bureaucracy and financial management. The House amended the measure Wednesday to eliminate the Budget and Control Board and divide its functions into three main parts. More than 80 percent of its employees would transfer to the new Cabinet-level Department of Administration. Functions under the governor’s control include computer technology, purchasing, and fleet and property management. It’s another retooling of the bill the House passed last year. The Senate passed an overhaul in February that also divided the Budget and Control Board, but into more pieces. Gov. Nikki Haley says she’s eager to work with legislators to get a final plan to her desk before the session ends in June.