3/12/20
The South Carolina House has passed the state's $10 billion budget, putting additional money into teacher salaries, roads, safety at state prisons and tax relief and rebates.
The House finished work on the spending plan Wednesday, a day earlier than usual.
The speed was especially surprising because lawmakers had an additional $1.8 billion to spend over the past year's budget.
The spending plan does not include an across-the-board raise for state employees.
Instead, agency leaders will decide how to dole out $42 million for extra pay.
The House plan puts $100 million into rural roads, gives each teacher a $3,000 raise, allots $100 million for state prison safety and sets aside $248 million for tax relief and rebates.
The South Carolina House has rejected proposals to give across-the-board raises to state employees.
The House is debating the state's $10 billion budget this week.
The spending plan provides $42 million for state employees raises, but allows agency leaders to give them out as they wish.
Democrats say that isn't fair and offered proposals for an across the board 5 % and 2.5% for state employees.
Both were rejected by a vote of almost all the House's 80 Republicans.
The budget does include a $3,000 raise for all teachers, and some Democrats warned state employees may feel especially shunned and take action.