SC Senate votes reopen 2 agencies in overrides

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Budget overrides by the South Carolina Senate reopen two agencies, give $10 million to districts for salary increases and transfer that same amount to the Commerce Department to close deals.

The Senate upheld three of Gov. Nikki Haley’s budget vetoes. That’s in addition to the 30 upheld Tuesday in the House.

The tally represents 41 percent of her 81 vetoes. They remove $4 million from the Legislature’s combined $6.8 billion budget and capital reserve spending bills.

Haley says she applauds the Legislature for removing much of what she considers local pork projects.

Senators overrode vetoes that eliminated all state and federal money for the Arts Commission and Sea Grant Consortium. The agencies are expected to reopen Thursday. The agencies’ 40 employees have been unemployed since July 6.