TUESDAY'S EDITORIAL

By T&D Staff

Again, legislation to shorten session should get OK

THE ISSUE: Shorter legislature sessions

OUR OPINION: House, Senate should get together

on a shorter meeting period

Republican House Speaker David Wilkins has had a long-standing, often-stated objective of shortening South Carolina's legislative session. He's trying again in 2005.

House-approved measures to shorten the state's January-to-June session have died when they got to the state Senate, where Democratic control once was blamed. With Republican control of the Senate, one might have expected the Wilkins priority to be more favorably received.

Wrong. Charleston Republican Glenn McConnell has been an outspoken foe of mandating a shorter session. As president pro tempore and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, where the session-shortening legislation again will land, McConnell isn't likely to let senators vote on Wilkins' bill — at least not in the form proposed.

Even if the 46 senators did vote, they'd probably unite behind McConnell's position. The Senate is proud of its tradition as a deliberative body, and no one is prouder of tradition than McConnell.

Across the aisle, the pragmatic Wilkins won't get much argument from South Carolinians in contending that work could be done in less time. Democrats agree.

This past week, Democratic House leader Rep. Harry Ott of Calhoun County threw his support behind Wilkins. "I support that. We waste a lot of time up here," said Ott during a news conference appearance with Wilkins on South Carolina Education Television.

The difference is more about tradition and procedure than partisan politics. The House sees the Senate's deliberation and filibustering as procedural wastes of time. The Senate sees the House as a fast-moving body passing legislation that is not well thought out.

They're not likely to get together on a sharp reduction in the time spent in Columbia.

Wilkins should not give up, however. It hasn't been very many years ago that lawmakers refused even to set an end date for the session. Cutting six weeks off the current session is not an unreasonable target.

And it could save money by reducing legislative travel and daily payments. The idea would be to work in committees early in the session before taking to the floor to consider legislation.

Streamlining in the name of efficiency is exactly what private enterprise is facing all over the state and nation. For our lawmakers to show such a commitment to more efficiently conducting the public's business in Columbia is sensible.

McConnell says efficiency is his goal as his committee considers legislation that would allow the House and Senate to set separate schedules.

"We want to make the session shorter by making it more efficient," the Charleston Republican said. "Let the Senate manage its schedule and let the House manage its work schedule."

Maybe Wilkins and McConnell can get together on a plan to shorten the session. We'd like to see it happen. But get together they should if there is to be any change.

The idea of the House implementing a mandatory adjournment date while the Senate remains in session is not appealing.

E-mail this page

Print version

Back to the top