Attorney General Allen Wilson requests $42.6M in budget items, urges $15M for victim services

Attorney General Allen Wilson told the Constitutional Budget Subcommittee that his office is seeking $42,631,380 in new funding and authorizations, citing building repairs, rising caseloads in cyber and victim-services work, and anticipated outside legal costs.

Wilson said the package includes two one-time requests — $26 million for capital and related nonrecurring needs and $15 million to support victim-services providers — plus about $1.6 million in recurring funding to cover new full-time positions. "My goal is to go through my presentation in roughly less than 15 minutes and then allow all of you to ask questions after that," Wilson said as he reviewed a letter and spreadsheet provided to committee members.

Why it matters: Wilson said the capital request is aimed at consolidating the attorney general's office from three locations into one and addressing structural and mold remediation in the Rembert C. Dennis Building. He said the $15 million for the supplemental allocation for victim services (SAVES) would be passed through his office to dozens of local providers that have seen federal VOCA funding drop sharply.

Most important requests and context

• Capital improvements and workspace consolidation: Wilson asked for $20 million of the $26 million nonrecurring capital request for renovations in the Rembert C. Dennis Building and related needs. He said prior appropriations of $15 million will be insufficient and that updated architectural plans estimate roughly $11 million per floor. Wilson said the office would hold funds and spend only modest amounts until committees decide the long-term use of the complex.

• Legal fees and high‑profile litigation: The budget includes $6 million in nonrecurring legal fees. Wilson said $1 million of that is to represent multiple state agencies defending H.4624 (the bill restricting gender-affirming care) and the remaining $5 million is for a separate, ongoing security-related matter his office represents. He described the legal work as likely to require extensive discovery and expert witnesses and said monthly invoices already received include amounts in the hundreds of thousands.

• Recurring staff and program funding: The request includes about $1.6 million in recurring funds to support 10 FTEs (seven of which require funding; three are for authorization only). Specific recurring asks he described: - $215,900 for two coordinators to implement the state’s address‑confidentiality program, which Wilson described as an unfunded mandate created by prior legislation. - $342,430 to fund positions in the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (one program assistant and two investigators funded; a fourth investigator would be federally funded and require only authorization). - One additional civil attorney to handle rising FOIA work, offender‑registry removals and South Carolina 811 matters; Wilson cited increases of 33% in FOIA requests (2017–2023), 71% in offender‑registry removal cases and a 36% increase in 811 call‑before‑you‑dig cases from FY22 to FY23. - A state grand jury program coordinator to address a reported 428% increase in open charges (2018–2023) and a 289% increase in subpoenas issued. - $850,000 requested annually for retention and merit funding to reduce attorney turnover, which Wilson said results from other agencies competing on pay for lawyers. - Authority (but not state funding) for an additional VAWA program coordinator and for a state investigator in the vulnerable‑adult Medicaid provider fraud unit; Wilson said a federal grant already covers 75% of that investigator's salary.

• Victim services (SAVES): Wilson asked for $15 million in one‑time funding to pass through to victim‑services providers statewide, including the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network, the South Carolina Children’s Advocacy Centers and other local organizations. He said federal VOCA funding has fallen by roughly 75% over recent years (from north of $50 million to about $12 million, according to materials he provided), and that the SAVES request is intended to prevent local providers from closing while federal remedies take effect.

Financial recoveries and other context

Wilson pointed committee members to a summary of annual recoveries showing roughly $67 million in recoveries outside the tobacco master settlement agreement in the most recent year and highlighted the attorney general’s role in collecting fines, fees and settlements for the state. He said the office’s work historically produces significant returns to state coffers but noted that litigation and other work are cyclical.

Committee questions and follow up

Senators pressed Wilson about the itemized outside‑counsel bills and the timeline for litigation. Wilson said he had provided a letter and spreadsheets to the committee and offered to make itemized billing information available to any senator outside the public hearing. Several members asked whether other agencies had retained separate counsel for the same matters; Wilson said the treasurer, comptroller and auditor have retained outside counsel and that sometimes agencies cannot share counsel because of potential conflicts.

Votes at a glance

- The subcommittee approved the chairman’s recommendations in a proviso packet (motion made, seconded; outcome: approved — "the ayes have it"). Details on individual votes or tallies were not specified in the hearing record. - The subcommittee approved a separate motion directing staff attorneys to make technical changes as needed to conform proviso language to the subcommittee’s actions (motion made, seconded; outcome: approved — "the ayes have it").

What the transcript does and does not show

The transcript records Wilson’s requests, the percentage increases and dollar amounts he cited, and committee members’ questions about outside counsel billing and the SAVES proposal. The transcript does not record precise vote tallies for the two proviso motions (minutes record only that the motions were adopted and that members said "aye"). The transcript also does not include full, itemized outside‑counsel invoices in the public hearing; Wilson offered to provide those on request.

Ending

Wilson closed by noting an additional proviso request to provide counseling services to staff and partner agencies in the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force who are exposed to traumatic material, and he thanked the committee for the opportunity to present the requests.