S.C. legislature adjourned 2002 session without passing Senate pr...

S.C. legislature adjourned 2002 session without passing Senate proposal to restructure PSC and without acting on election of PSC commissioners. Senate in final week tried to get PSC reforms through by attaching them as amendments to electric utility reporting bill (HB-5108) and campaign finance reform bill (HB-5346), but in each case House refused to accept amendments. Failed legislation would have created new state Office of Public Staff to take over utility consumer advocacy functions of PSC and S.C. Dept. of Commerce staffs. It also would have required college degree and some relevant work experience as minimum qualification for PSC membership, staggered members’ terms and barred spouses or children of sitting legislators from being PSC commissioners. Legislation was intended to address concerns about inadequate PSC understanding of issues before agency and appearance of inappropriately cozy relationships between PSC members and regulated companies. House leaders said they wanted more time for considering PSC reforms than the one week Senate allowed. Legislature also failed to act on election of 7 commissioners from field of 26 candidates. PSC spokesman said that meant agency’s 6 incumbent commissioners would continue to serve until next year’s legislature acted to reelect or replace them; it was unclear what would be done about filling PSC’s vacant 7th seat in interim.