SC budget has teacher pay raise and more school security

South Carolina lawmakers on May 28 passed the state’s $14.7 billion fiscal year budget.

Rep. Bruce Bannister (R-Greenville), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said that reaching an agreement was not easy, but both sides were able to come to a compromise.

The billion-dollar spending plan passed the Senate with little opposition. It moved to the House, where several members raised concerns about a provision that would give each lawmaker a $18,000 annual increase for in-district expense reimbursements.

The budget ultimately passed the House with an 88-25 vote. It passed the Senate 37-5. 

The budget heads to Gov. Henry McMaster's desk for a final signature before taking effect on July 1.

Reimbursement for in-district expenses 

The provision was added back in the budget after conference committee negotiations last week. It raises lawmakers' monthly in-district expense reimbursement from $1,000 to $2,500 per month.

“The expectation is that you will spend that on your constituents,” Bannister said. “It is not a pay raise, it is an expense reimbursement.” 

“The elephant in the room, it seems, is the pay raise,” Rep. James Teeple (R-Charleston) said before voting against the budget. “I don’t think it’s our place to vote ourselves a pay raise.” 

Other representatives, including Brandon Guffey (R-York) and Kathy Landing (R-Charleston), voted for the budget but criticized the proviso. 

“When you go to give yourself a pay raise, it shouldn’t be a last-minute situation, and it shouldn’t be something that didn’t have any kind of public hearing,” Landing said. 

“I do not believe that anyone who is sitting in this room should be able to vote for a pay raise for themselves this session,” Guffey said. 

Cuts to the state income tax rate 

The state’s spending plan for next year puts $290 million towards lowering the state’s income tax rate. 

The state’s highest individual income tax rate is 6.2%. A proviso in the state budget lowers that to 6.0%. This point was included in McMaster’s executive budget recommendation, which he presented at the start of the year. 

Bannister said before the vote that lowering the rate was an important part of the budget. 

Several lawmakers expressed support for the income tax cut, but said that it is just a stepping stone in plans to phase out the state’s income tax. 

“Ways and means did a fantastic job here,” Teeple said. “I just think the work isn’t done.” 

Pay bump for teachers, resource officers approved

The conference committee’s budget raises the minimum teacher salary in South Carolina from $47,000 to $48,500. 

McMaster's executive budget recommended that lawmakers raise the minimum teacher pay to $50,000. Legislators settled on $48,500 as a middle ground, with the hope of getting to $50,000 by the fiscal year 2026-27 budget.

“This is a direct investment in the classrooms," Bannister said.

The spending plan also included about $29 million in funding for a school safety plan that makes sure every public school in the state has a school resource officer.

The $21 million would be recurring funds for the hiring of 177 resource officers. The other $8 million is in one-time funds for officer training and equipment.

“We are funding another round of school resource officers to place more SROs in our public schools," Bannister said. "Every school that does not have an SRO will have one.” 

Millions go to funding for bridges, Helene storm relief 

The South Carolina Department of Transportation is set to receive $200 million to replace the state's aging bridges. It will also get an additional $35 million to repair damages caused by Hurricane Helene.

Bannister said that while the governor's budget included $180 million for bridge replacement, the House stood firm during budget negotiations on approving a full $200 million that the department requested.

“We made a significant investment in the infrastructure needs of the state," Bannister said.

Senate overrides a McMaster veto

Sen. Deon Tedder filed a motion during the Senate meeting on May 28 to overrule McMaster's veto of Senate Bill 136, which would dismiss pending gun possession charges for cases that are now legal in South Carolina under the permitless carry law.