SCHotline Press Releases

House Passes Earmark Reform Rule
Rule change, first major accomplishment in ending hidden earmark
spending(Columbia, SC) – Today, House Speaker Bobby Harrell and the House
Republican Caucus approved a change to House Rules that will end the
practice of hidden earmark spending in our state’s budget.

Speaker Harrell called the plan, “A victory for the taxpayers.”
Harrell said, “Lawmakers must be held accountable for how the
taxpayer’s money is spent. If lawmakers are not willing to put their
name by an item they are requesting, it is probably something that
should not be done in the first place.”

Nathan Ballentine “This is a major step in bringing more transparency
to the way we spend the taxpayer’s money. This move should go a long
way in helping to reduce wasteful spending in our state’s budget.”

The House Rule will require legislators to attach their name and a
description of the spending project to any non-agency request included
for consideration in our state’s budget. This separate document will
be made available to the public throughout the budget process.

House Rules Committee Chairman Brian White said, “This rule change
sheds light on our budget process and shows the House’s commitment to
ending this practice of hidden spending in our state’s budget.”

Under this rule, anonymous spending earmarks from the Senate will take
a two-thirds vote from the House to be considered in the final state
budget.

Legislation containing the same language as the rule change has also
been introduced and is supported by the House Republican Caucus for
passage by both bodies of the legislature.

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