S.C. Code Ann. § 1-30-10 – Departments of State Government

(A) There are hereby created, within the executive branch of the state government, the following departments:
1. Department of Agriculture
2. Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services
3. Department of Commerce
4. Department of Corrections
5. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs
6. Department of Education
7. Department of Health and Environmental Control
8. Department of Health and Human Services
9. Department of Insurance
10. Department of Juvenile Justice
11. Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation
12. Department of Mental Health
13. Department of Natural Resources
14. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
15. Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services
16. Department of Public Safety
17. Department of Revenue
18. Department of Social Services
19. Department of Transportation
(B)
1. (1) The governing authority of each department shall be either:
  1. (i) a director, and in the case of the Department of Commerce, the secretary, who must be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, subject to removal from office by the Governor pursuant to provisions of Section 1-3-240; or,
  2. (ii) a seven member board to be appointed and constituted in a manner provided for by law; or,
  3. (iii) in the case of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education, the State Commissioner of Agriculture and the State Superintendent of Education, respectively, elected to office under the Constitution of this State.
2. (2) In making appointments to boards and for department directors, race, gender, and other demographic factors should be considered to assure nondiscrimination, inclusion, and representation to the greatest extent possible of all segments of the population of this State; however, consideration of these factors in no way creates a cause of action or basis for an employee grievance for a person appointed or for a person who fails to be appointed. The Governor in making the appointments provided for by this section shall endeavor to appoint individuals who have demonstrated exemplary managerial skills in either the public or private sector.
(C) Each department shall be organized into appropriate divisions by the governing authority of the department through consolidation or subdivision. The power to reorganize the department supersedes any provision of law to the contrary pertaining to individual divisions; provided, however, the dissolution of any division must receive legislative approval by authorization included in the annual general appropriations act.
Any other approval procedures for department reorganization in effect on the effective date of this act no longer apply.
(D) The governing authority of a department is vested with the duty of overseeing, managing, and controlling the operation, administration, and organization of the department. The governing authority has the power to create and appoint standing or ad hoc advisory committees in its discretion or at the direction of the Governor to assist the department in particular areas of public concern or professional expertise as is deemed appropriate. Such committees shall serve at the pleasure of the governing authority and committee members shall not receive salary or per diem, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred pursuant to the discharge of official duties not to exceed the per diem, mileage, and subsistence amounts allowed by law for members of boards, commissions, and committees.
(E) The department director may appoint deputy directors to head the divisions of their department, with each deputy director managing one or more of the divisions; in the case of the Department of Commerce, the Secretary of Commerce may appoint a departmental executive director and also may appoint directors to manage the various divisions of the Department of Commerce. In making appointments race, gender, and other demographic factors should be considered to assure nondiscrimination, inclusion, and representation to the greatest extent possible of all segments of the population of this State; however, consideration of these factors in making an appointment in no way creates a cause of action or basis for an employee grievance for a person appointed or for a person who fails to be appointed. Deputy directors serve at the will and pleasure of the department director. The deputy director of a division is vested with the duty of overseeing, managing, and controlling the operation and administration of the division under the direction and control of the department director and performing such other duties as delegated by the department director.
(F)
1. (1) In the event a vacancy should occur in the office of department director at a time when the General Assembly is not in session, the Governor may temporarily fill the vacancy pursuant to Section 1-3-210.
2. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subitem (F)(1), as of July 1, 1993, for each department created pursuant to the provisions of this act which must be governed by a single director, an initial interim director shall serve as the governing authority, serving until January 31, 1994. During that period the following departments must be governed by the director or interim director of the following agencies as of June 30, 1993:
  1. (i) Department of Corrections, created pursuant to Section 1-30-30, by the director of the former Department of Corrections;
  2. (ii) Department of Juvenile Justice created pursuant to Section 1-30-60, by the interim director of the former Department of Youth Services;
  3. (iii) Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services created pursuant to Section 1-30-85 by the director of the former Department of Probation, Pardon and Parole;
  4. (iv) Department of Social Services created pursuant to Section 1-30-100, by the director of the former Department of Social Services;
  5. (v) Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism created pursuant to Section 1-30-80, by the director of the former Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism;
  6. (vi) Department of Commerce created pursuant to Section 1-30-25, by the Executive Director of the former State Development Board;
  7. (vii) Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services created pursuant to Section 1-30-20, by the director of the former South Carolina Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
3. (3) As of December 1, 1993, the Governor must submit to the Senate the names of appointees to the permanent department directorships for those departments created on July 1, 1993 and February 1, 1994. If no person has been appointed and qualified for a directorship as of February 1, 1994, the Governor may appoint an interim director to serve pursuant to the provisions of (F) (1).
4. (4) Notwithstanding provisions of (2) and (3) to the contrary, the initial interim director of the Department of Public Safety shall be appointed by the Budget and Control Board. The initial interim director may be appointed as the permanent director of the department by the Governor.
(G)
1. (1) Department governing authorities must, no later than the first day of the 1994 legislative session and every twelve months thereafter for the following three years, submit to the Governor and General Assembly reports giving detailed and comprehensive recommendations for the purposes of merging or eliminating duplicative or unnecessary divisions, programs, or personnel within each department to provide a more efficient administration of government services. Thereafter, the Governor shall periodically consult with the governing authorities of the various departments and upon such consultation the Governor shall submit a report of any recommendations to the General Assembly for review and consideration.
2. (2) The Governor shall report to the General Assembly no later than the second Tuesday in January of 1994, his recommendation for restructuring the following offices and divisions presently under his direct supervision, and as to how each might be restructured within other appropriate departments or divisions amended by this act:
  1. (i) Office of Executive Policy and Programs;
  2. (ii) Office of Energy Programs;
  3. (iii) Office of Personnel and Program Services;
  4. (iv) Office of Research;
  5. (v) Division of Health;
  6. (vi) Division of Economic Opportunity;
  7. (vii) Division of Economic of Development;
  8. (viii) Division of Ombudsman and Citizens' Services;
  9. (ix) Division of Education;
  10. (x) Division of Natural Resources;
  11. (xi) Division of Human Services.
(H) Department governing authorities must submit to the General Assembly by the first day of the 1994 legislative session and every five years thereafter a mission statement that must be approved by the General Assembly by Joint Resolution.