SC Senator: House leaders said ‘DOGE bill has momentum’

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) — The South Carolina Senate passed bill during the last legislative session to create a state “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, echoing one of President Donald Trump’s initiatives in Washington D.C.

DOGE would be a commission of 10 people appointed to look for fraud, waste, and abuse in state government. Of the ten members, three would be appointed by the House Speaker, three by the President of the Senate, three from the Governor’s Office and one appointed as chair by the Department of Administration. The member from the Department of Administration would be a non-voting member.

The group would create a report, pinpointing where government spending in the state could be reduced.

“I just want to get the conversation started about what good governance looks like and how to oversee that,” said Sen. Stephen Goldfinch (R – Georgetown). “I think this bill does that.”

Panel members would be unpaid, lawmakers said.

“Counterintuitive to grow government, to increase the size of government and to pay for that with taxpayer dollars while trying to provide for better governance and oversight,” said Goldfinch.

The state does have an oversight committee that visits agencies once every couple of years, but Goldfinch said while the committee does good work, there is more to be done.

“I think that the public probably expects more or demands more,” Goldfinch continued. “We can expect and demand more as legislators, I think we can do better.”

But not everyone agrees that the bill is the way to do it.

“Republicans have controlled every level of government in South Carolina for the past 22 years,” said Rep. Kambrell Garvin (D – Richland). “So, if there are issues with governmental spending, or regulation, then they can only blame themselves.”

Garvin added that he is not against streamlining state government services, but he does not want South Carolinians to be impacted negatively.

“I am opposed to doing anything that would hurt the people of South Carolina, and that [the DOGE bill] would be at their detriment.”

According to Goldfinch, he has spoke to House leaders, who said the bill has momentum. If the bill were to pass the House, it would most likely need to be approved by the Senate again.

From there, the legislation would head to Governor Henry McMaster’s desk for his signature or a possible veto.