Senate to start budget process
Staff reports | The Senate Finance Committee will start its budget process next week with various meetings in which senators will take up components of the just-passed $8 billion House budget and mold them to their liking.
While there’s not expected to be many differences in the general features of the Senate’s version compared to the House’s, senators may differ in terms of scale or magnitude. They may, for example, want more to steer more money toward education formula funding or into a fund for local government, which could mean trade-offs in other parts of the House bill. The Senate also might try to thwart a House attempt to close the John de la Howe School, as outlined in a story last week.
Also in the Senate next week are meetings looking at oversight of the State Ports Authority, various agriculture-related bills and more. Click here to see all scheduled Senate meetings.
In the House, the Ways and Means Committee will discuss whether to proposed a $425 million bond bill, as outlined in this story. A Pet Care and Humane Treatment Study Committee meets Thursday. Few other committee meetings are yet scheduled. Click here for more.
Also next week, the Education Oversight Committee is scheduled to meet Monday.
Pathway to Politics training to be held March 25
If you’re in the Charleston area and you’re a little frustrated by what goes on in the public arena, you might want to consider attending the Pathway to Politics training offered by the Center for Women and affiliated groups.
The six-hour training session, which starts at 10 a.m. on March 25 at the North campus of the College of Charleston, costs $40 for members and $10 more for non-members. Former congressional candidate and philanthropist Linda Ketner is scheduled to speak during the program designed to educate, inspire and mobilize more women to run for office and engage in political advocacy in the Palmetto State. Learn more.
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