South Carolina § 2-2-30 - Procedure for conducting oversight studies and investigations.

§ 2-2-30. Procedure for conducting oversight studies and investigations.

(A) The procedure for conducting the oversight studies and investigations is provided in this section.

(B)(1) The President of the Senate, upon consulting with the chairmen of the standing committees in the Senate and the Clerk of the Senate, shall determine the agencies for which each standing committee must conduct oversight studies and investigations. A proposed seven-year review schedule must be published in the Senate Journal on the first day of session each year.

(2) In order to accomplish the requirements of this chapter, the chairman of each standing committee must schedule oversight studies and investigations for the agencies for which his standing committee is the investigating committee and may:

(a) coordinate schedules for conducting oversight studies and investigations with the chairmen of other standing committees; and

(b) appoint joint investigating committees to conduct the oversight studies and investigations including, but not limited to, joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives or joint standing committees of concurrent subject matter jurisdiction within the Senate or within the House of Representatives.

(3) Chairmen of standing committees having concurrent subject matter jurisdiction over an agency or the programs and law governing an agency by virtue of the Rules of the Senate or Rules of the House of Representatives, may request that a joint investigating committee be appointed to conduct the oversight study and investigation for an agency.

(C)(1) The Speaker of the House of Representatives, upon consulting with the chairmen of the standing committees in the House of Representatives and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, shall determine the agencies for which each standing committee must conduct oversight studies and investigations. A proposed seven-year review schedule must be published in the House Journal on the first day of session each year.

(2) In order to accomplish the requirements of this chapter, the chairman of each standing committee must schedule oversight studies and investigations for the agencies for which his standing committee is the investigating committee and may:

(a) coordinate schedules for conducting oversight studies and investigations with the chairmen of other standing committees; and

(b) appoint joint investigating committees to conduct the oversight studies and investigations including, but not limited to, joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives or joint standing committees of concurrent subject matter jurisdiction within the Senate or within the House of Representatives.

(3) Chairmen of standing committees having concurrent subject matter jurisdiction over an agency or the programs and law governing an agency by virtue of the Rules of the Senate or Rules of the House of Representatives, may request that a joint investigating committee be appointed to conduct the oversight study and investigation for the agency.

(D) The chairman of an investigating committee may vest the standing committee's full investigative power and authority in a subcommittee. A subcommittee conducting an oversight study and investigation of an agency: (1) must make a full report of its findings and recommendations to the standing committee at the conclusion of its oversight study and investigation; and (2) must not consist of fewer than three members.

HISTORY: 2014 Act No. 121 (S.22), Pt IV, SECTION 6.D, eff January 1, 2015; 2019 Act No. 1 (S.2), SECTION 12, eff January 31, 2019.

Effect of Amendment

2019 Act No. 1, SECTION 12, in (B)(1), in the first sentence, substituted "President of the Senate" for "President Pro Tempore of the Senate".