Senate Votes Means Agencies Can Stay Open

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ Two state agencies can re-open their doors, two weeks after Gov. Nikki Haley’s vetoes eliminated all of their state and federal money. The Senate voted 29-10 on Wednesday to override Haley’s veto of $1.9 million in state taxes for the Arts Commission’s operations and local grants. That veto also struck $1.5 million in federal funding. The Senate will vote later on a separate veto of an additional $500,000 for grants. The Senate then voted 34-7 to restore $428,000 for the agency that works with the state’s universities to conduct coastal research. Both agencies had to close after Haley released her vetoes July 6, putting roughly 40 people in limbo. The comptroller general’s office says they can return to work as early as Thursday. Employees won’t get paid for the interim.