South Carolina Senate approves $15.4B budget after debate on bathrooms and conference switching
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Senate approved its budget Wednesday after debating items like requiring school children use the bathrooms of their sex assigned at birth and whether universities can spend state money to move to another athletic conference.
The $15.4 billion budget for next fiscal year raises salaries for state employees and teachers, sets aside more money to improve and repair roads and bridges and doubles a planned income tax cut to 0.2%.
It also sets up a showdown with the House over the next month or beyond as the House’s $500 million property tax rebate is not in the Senate plan.
A group of three House members and three senators — likely including the leaders of each chamber’s budget committee — is going to have to sort out the differences. Last year, there was a monthlong showdown over how much money should be given to a new veterinary school at Clemson University.