The Ways & Means Committee passed SCDOT modernization bills (S.831) and (H.5071) out of full committee this week. You will recall that the Senate overwhelmingly passed its version of SCDOT Modernization last month, which aligns closely with much of the House legislation. Both bills include the following components:
- Agency Accountability/Continuity: Strengthens internal audit functions, further defines Secretary and Deputy Secretary roles/responsibilities, and adds the Secretary to the Infrastructure Bank Board.
- Procurement & Project Delivery: Provides for procurement exemptions and new project delivery methods (phased design-build and CM/GC).
- NEPA: Allows the state to assume federal environmental processes (NEPA), which could reduce timelines by months or even years.
- P3s & Tolling: Authorizes Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) as a financing tool for major projects and updates tolling statutes to allow for new choice lanes on the most congested segments of interstate, while keeping existing lanes free.
- Municipal Consent: Establishes a timeline for municipal consent for projects to avoid delays.
- Devolution of Roads: Allows voluntary transfer of certain state roads to local governments and provides flexibility in funding sources only if locals choose to take on these routes.
- CTCs: Clarifies County Transportation Committee roles, memberships, and responsibilities.
The House plan differs from the Senate’s proposal in a few ways:
- Cabinet Agency: Designates SCDOT as a cabinet agency, with the Secretary of Transportation appointed by the Governor.
- Restructures the SCDOT Commission, removing at-large Commissioners.
- EV/Hybrid Fees: Increases biennial registration fees to $400 for electric vehicles and $200 for hybrids, which puts these vehicles on a level playing field with their gasoline counterparts when it comes to contributing to the system.
- Coordinating Council: Does NOT establish a coordinating Council of transportation-related entities for planning purposes.
The House continues to make infrastructure a priority, and thanks to the work of the SCDOT Modernization Ad-Hoc committee, months of public input reiterated the need for additional resources for state and local governments to be able to tackle a growing list of infrastructure challenges.
While these bills do not address the state’s significant infrastructure funding needs, they include long-overdue reforms as South Carolina continues to navigate the challenges of rapid growth and increasing demand on its infrastructure systems.
The Senate bill has been amended to reflect the new House language. Both bills are now on the calendar and are expected to be considered after the House returns from furlough.
SCFOR applauds efforts to modernize SCDOT and advance comprehensive, forward-looking policy reforms that transform how South Carolina delivers transportation projects. These measures strengthen accountability and transparency, while equipping the state with new tools to deliver projects more efficiently and effectively.
