S.C. Code § 58-31-20

Current through 2024 Act No. 225.

Section 58-31-20 - Board of directors; advisory board

(A)

(1) The Public Service Authority consists of a board of twelve directors who reside in South Carolina and who have the qualifications stated in this section, as determined by the State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee pursuant to Section 58-3-530(14), before being appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate as follows: one from each congressional district of the State; one from each of the counties of Horry, Berkeley, and Georgetown who reside in Authority territory and are customers of the Authority; and two from the State at large, one of whom must be chairman. Two of the directors must have substantial work experience within the operations of electric cooperatives or substantial experience on an electric cooperative board, including one of the two who must have substantial experience within the operations or board of a transmission or generation cooperative. Except to the extent they are serving in an ex-officio capacity, a director shall not serve as an employee or board member of an electric cooperative during his term as a director. Each director shall serve for a term of four years, except as provided in this section. At the expiration of the term of each director and of each succeeding director, the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, must appoint a successor, who shall hold office for a term of four years or until his successor has been appointed and qualified. In the event of a director vacancy due to death, resignation, or otherwise, the Governor must appoint the director's successor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and the successor director shall hold office for the unexpired term. A director shall not be appointed for more than three consecutive full terms. An appointment to an unexpired partial term shall not be considered for purposes of determining term limits.

(2) A director may not receive a salary for services as director until the Authority is in funds, but each director must be paid his actual expense in the performance of his duties, the actual expense to be advanced from the contingent fund of the Governor until the time the Public Service Authority is in funds, at which time the contingent fund must be reimbursed. After the Public Service Authority is in funds, the compensation and expenses of each member of the board must be paid from these funds, and the compensation and expenses must be fixed by the advisory board established in this section. The Authority may provide, at its expense, health insurance benefits to members of the board, through the state insurance plan or otherwise.

(3) Members of the board of directors may be removed for cause, pursuant to Section 1-3-240(C), by the Governor of the State, the advisory board, or a majority thereof. A member of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina is not eligible for appointment as Director of the Public Service Authority during the term of his office. No more than two members from the same county may serve as directors at any time.

(B) Candidates for appointment to the board must be screened by the State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee and, prior to confirmation by the Senate, must be found qualified by meeting the minimum requirements contained in subsection (C). The review committee must submit a written report to the Clerk of the Senate setting forth its findings as to the qualifications of each candidate. A candidate must not serve on the board, even in an interim capacity, until he is screened and found qualified by the State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee.

(C)

(1) Each member must possess abilities and experience that are generally found among directors of energy utilities serving this State and that allow him to make valuable contributions to the conduct of the authority's business. These abilities include substantial business skills and experience, but are not limited to:

(a) general knowledge of the history, purpose, and operations of the Public Service Authority and the responsibilities of being a director of the authority;

(b) the ability to interpret legal and financial documents and information so as to further the activities and affairs of the Public Service Authority;

(c) with the assistance of counsel, the ability to understand and apply federal and state laws, rules, and regulations including, but not limited to, Chapter 4 of Title 30 as they relate to the activities and affairs of the Public Service Authority; and

(d) with the assistance of counsel, the ability to understand and apply judicial decisions as they relate to the activities and affairs of the Public Service Authority.

(2) Each member also must have:

(a) a baccalaureate or more advanced degree from:

(i) a recognized institution of higher learning requiring face-to-face contact between its students and instructors prior to completion of the academic program;

(ii) an institution of higher learning that has been accredited by a regional or national accrediting body; or

(iii) an institution of higher learning chartered before 1962; and

(b) a background of substantial duration and an expertise in at least one of the following:

(i) energy issues;

(ii) consumer protection and advocacy issues;

(iii) water and wastewater issues;

(iv) finance, economics, and statistics;

(v) accounting;

(vi) engineering; or

(vii) law.

(D) For the assistance of the board of directors of the Public Service Authority, there is hereby established an advisory board to be known as the advisory board of the South Carolina Public Service Authority, to be composed of the Governor of the State, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the Comptroller General, and the Secretary of State, as ex officio members, who must serve without compensation other than necessary traveling expenses. The advisory board must perform any duties imposed on it pursuant to this chapter, and must consult and advise with the board of directors on any and all matters which by the board of directors may be referred to the advisory board. The board of directors must make annual reports to the advisory board, which reports must be submitted to the General Assembly by the Governor, in which full information as to all of the acts of said board of directors shall be given, together with financial statement and full information as to the work of the authority. On July first of each year, the advisory board must designate a certified public accountant or accountants for the purpose of making a complete audit of the affairs of the Authority, which must be filed with the annual report of the board of directors. The Public Service Authority must submit the audit to the General Assembly.

(E)

(1) The following shall be nonvoting ex officio members of the board of directors entitled to attend all meetings of the Authority board, including any executive sessions, except as set forth below:

The Chairman of Central Electric Power Cooperative, or his designee, and one member of the Board of Central Electric Power Cooperative chosen by that board who is not the chairman or his designee. The ex officio members shall have the same obligations and duties as other members of the board, except the obligation to vote, and are subject to removal in the same manner as other board members. An ex officio member that has otherwise satisfied all obligations and duties owed to the Public Service Authority shall not be liable for matters directly related to either the process of voting nor a decision determined by a vote of the board of directors.

(2) The ex officio members may be excluded from executive session where the following matters are being discussed:

(a) negotiations incident to proposed contractual arrangements with a customer, including Central Electric Cooperative, Inc., or receiving legal advice involving a customer, Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc., or one of its members; or

(b) discussions regarding generation resources that will not be shared resources under any wholesale power supply agreement between the Authority and Central Electric Power Cooperative or receiving legal advice in relation thereto.

Upon advice of counsel that a conflict may exist for an ex officio member of the board to attend an executive session or a portion thereof to discuss matters other than (a) and (b), the board may exclude, by a majority vote, the ex officio member from those portions of an executive session for which a conflict may exist.

(3) When ex officio members are excluded from executive session, the reason for the conflict must be stated before the vote is taken and shall be recorded in official minutes or other records of the meeting. The ex officio member of the board must be given an opportunity to speak to the conflict and the underlying issue at the beginning of the executive session. After being provided the opportunity to speak as provided in this provision, the ex officio member must leave the room and may not participate in the remainder of the executive session on the issue giving rise to the conflict. Efforts should be taken to optimize participation of ex officio members by segmenting executive sessions.

(4) Ex officio members will begin serving immediately upon a letter indicating their appointments is delivered to the board and to the Public Utilities Review Committee but must meet the qualifications set forth in Section 58-31-20(C) as verified by the Public Utilities Review Committee within six months of beginning service as an ex officio member. Ex officio members will be appointed for two-year terms but may be removed either by the Governor pursuant to Section 1-3-240(C)(1)(m) or the Board of Central Electric Power Cooperative. In the event that the Board of Central Electric Power Cooperative removes the ex officio member, the Public Service Authority Board of Directors must receive notice at least sixty days before the ex officio member's successor begins service on the Public Service Authority Board of Directors. An ex officio member will not be entitled to receive compensation from the Public Service Authority for his or her service as an ex officio member and will not be counted for purposes of determining a quorum.

(F) In making appointments to the board of directors, the Governor, in making appointments and the Senate, in its advice and consent capacity, must give due consideration to race, gender, and other demographic factors to assure nondiscrimination, inclusion, and representation to the greatest extent possible of all segments of the population of this State.

S.C. Code § 58-31-20

Amended by 2021 S.C. Acts, Act No. 90 (HB 3194),s 1, eff. 6/15/2021.

Amended by 2012 S.C. Acts, Act No. 279 (SB 1088), s 26, eff. 6/26/2012.

2005 Act No. 137, Section 5, eff 5/25/2005; 1974 (58) 2121; 1973 (58) 716; 1934 (38) 1507; 1942 Code Section 8555-12; 1952 Code Section 59-2; 1962 Code Section 59-2.

Section 3 of 1974 Act No. 988 (1974 (58) 2121), provides that:

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, including Section 1 of this act [amending this section], the board of directors shall consist of all members serving on the board of directors on the effective date of this act, and all members serving on the board of directors on the effective date of this act are hereby specifically authorized to complete their respective terms of office as provided by the law or laws in effect prior to the effective date of this act." The act was approved April 18, 1974, and made effective on approval.

2005 Act No. 137, Section 10, provides as follows:

"Responsibilities and duties of the directors of the Public Service Authority created by the provisions of this act are in addition to responsibilities and duties created by other provisions of law."

2005 Act No. 137, Section 11, provides in part as follows:

"The provisions in SECTIONS 4 and 5 are effective for directors confirmed on or after this act's effective date. Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, the Senate Judiciary Committee shall act instead of the State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee, mutatis mutandis, for any appointment made on or before July 1, 2005."