Legislative committee wants to give more control of the Dept. of Disabilities to the Governor

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COLUMBIA, SC (GREENVILLE NEWS) – The House Legislative Oversight Committee has overwhelmingly endorsed a proposal to place the state Department of Disabilities and Special Needs in the governor’s cabinet. It also recommends that all county special needs boards become advisory bodies and that their county employees become state workers, in effect making local agencies part of the DDSN.

As it stands, the agency is run by commissioners appointed by the Governor, but the Governor does not have direct control.

The Department’s Interim Director says he thinks the agency can be more responsive to the public if it remains separate from the Governor’s office.