(Columbia-AP) Feb. 10, 2004 - Corrections Director Jon Ozmint says he favors a plan to merge his agency with the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services.

Ozmint was among several state agency heads who told a special Senate committee Monday how government restructuring proposals could affect their agencies.

President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell is leading the committee, which is examining a series of bills designed to make state government more efficient and accountable. McConnell sponsored 1900 pages of legislation in two bills that could overhaul the government's structure. He encouraged input from agencies and said none of the proposals was set in stone.

State forester Robert Schowalter told the panel a plan to eliminate the state Forestry Commission could wipe out forest protection and other services provided by that agency.

A Senate panel handling plans to restructure state government agreed Tuesday morning to let voters decide whether to eliminate elections for all but four statewide offices. The bill would let voters decide in November whether to eliminate elections for the education superintendent, secretary of state, agriculture commissioner, adjutant general and comptroller general.

The restructuring panel left that bill mostly unchanged. They agreed to require an appointed adjutant general to have minimum qualifications, including adequate service time and a minimum rank of full colonel.

If the referendum passed, voters could see candidates for a jointly elected governor and lieutenant governor ticket, the treasurer and attorney general at the top of 2006 ballots. The committee is expected to wrap up work next week.

updated 12:57pm by Chris Rees