SC legislators return to Statehouse one more time to talk to budget

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO, AP) – Lawmakers were back at the Statehouse Tuesday (6/25) for a one day special session. It’ll be the last time they’re here for 2019.

The House and Senate were voting on Governor Henry McMaster’s 28 budget vetoes.

The governor and legislators agreed on most of the state’s $9 billion budget so there was not much contention.

The governor worked with legislative leaders on the state’s spending plan, so they were in agreement on big items like $159 million on teacher raises, $65 million on a new fund to help attract businesses to the state’s poorest school districts and $67 million set aside so every income tax filer can get a $50 rebate check.

The governor says most of the $41 million in vetoed items were requests lawmakers made without saying exactly where the money was going.

One big veto rejected $11 million for the Judicial Department for a case management system. McMaster said money needs to be spent on a system that can work with all parts of the criminal justice system.

In the past two years, lawmakers waited several months or until they returned in January to vote on whether to override budget vetoes. But House Speaker Jay Lucas said he thinks it is best to have the budget complete before the fiscal year starts July 1.