A new year for the General Assembly

Things sure are quieter now that the presidential candidates and national media have left for Florida. Although I'm glad to have had the opportunity to meet several of the candidates and vote in the "first in the South" primary, I'm also happy for someone else to deal with all the phone calls, mail and commercials!

On the home front, the General Assembly returned to work earlier this month, and we have a full plate.

A New Way of Doing Things

During my campaigns in 2007 and 2008, I talked a lot about the need to shake up Columbia. In 2008, my first year in the Senate, nearly every vote was a "voice vote" - "aye" or "no." It was quick, but impossible to determine how I voted on an issue.

Now, every bill that comes before the legislature receives a recorded vote which can be viewed on the General Assembly's website (www.scstatehouse.gov).

First up on the Senate's agenda this year is a bill to create a new Department of Administration. Although it's not the sexiest political issue, this restructuring effort will make South Carolina government more efficient and accountable for decades to come. For too long, some of the most significant decisions in South Carolina have been made by a five-member Budget and Control Board, which makes decisions that are left to governors or the legislature in nearly every other state.

For instance, it was the Budget and Control Board that allowed the Department of Health and Human Services to run a $228 million - $228 MILLION! - deficit last year.

When this bill is passed, it will abolish the Budget and Control Board and shift most administrative functions of government into the Department of Administration, a cabinet level agency under the governor. It will ensure that the legislature is responsible for making budgetary decisions so you can hold your legislators accountable for how money is spent. And it will require the legislature to assume the oversight of executive agencies.

A Resolution to be

'Fiscally' Fit

In addition to the restructuring effort, this year's agenda includes a push toward more responsible budgeting. After the session ended last year, I served on a subcommittee considering an overhaul of our budgeting process. Last fall, while the legislature was out of session, this subcommittee worked to produce legislation that will prevent deficit spending, impose a cap on how much money the legislature can spend, limit agencies' ability to impose hidden fees on the public and stop the irresponsible practice of raiding trust funds. I support these common-sense moves, and I hope they gain traction early this year.

Redistricting

The legislature spent much of last year drawing new districts to account for population changes following the 2010 census. The result is that our district now includes all of Edgefield County and portions of Aiken, Lexington, McCormick and Saluda Counties. View the new district map by going to http://redistricting.scsenate.gov/S815DistrictMaps/S815_D25_Lmap.pdf.

Town Halls, Email Updates

I have held dozens of town hall meetings throughout our district over the past four years, and I really appreciate the hundreds of folks who have participated. I'm working on the next round, which I hope to schedule for late February and early March.

I also plan to send weekly email updates from the Senate this year. If you'd like to receive my updates, please sign up at www.senatormassey.com.

In the meantime, you can always contact me by telephone (803-480-0419), email (shanemassey@scsenate.gov), or regular mail (P.O. Box 551, Edgefield, SC 29824). Or just pull me aside when you see me.