SC House to start budget debate. Here’s what’s being considered and why it may take a while

A $13.8 billion South Carolina spending plan that has money for bridges, a state employee raise and more money for teachers will take center stage in the State House this week.

The House budget debate begins Monday at 1 p.m. and is expected to take a while. This is the first budget for House Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville, and he estimated the debate to last possibly into Thursday evening.

Bannister said he expected many amendments from the conservative Freedom Caucus.

“There’s a lot of folks who would like an outlet for some political statements, and the budget is just a perfect place for folks to get their political say on whatever issue they may have,” Bannister said.

Democrats also are expecting an extended debate.

“We expect this (year’s) budget week to be long, especially with tensions on the rise in the House,” a House Democratic caucus email said.

Ultimately the House’s final product will still have to go through the Senate, where the Finance Committee has already begun budget hearings. A Senate vote on the budget is expected to take place the week of April 18.

The conservative Freedom Caucus already is planning to propose amendments, including those that would take money away from diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in higher education, prohibiting money going to lobbyists, taking away state money for Planned Parenthood, and preventing money in the state budget from paying for abortions.

“There’ll be a number of amendments to decrease the amount of wokeness in our budget,” said state Rep. RJ May, the vice chairman of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus. “You’ll see probably a number of amendments that seek to shrink the size and scope of government from unnecessary things such as film subsidies for Hollywood or public television or radio, just things that government shouldn’t be doing in general.”

May said his group’s motive isn’t to make the budget debate last longer than it needs to.

“It’s about getting it right, and that can be a very quick process, or it could be extended depends on how the body here wants to take it,” May said. “We’re not coming into a budget debate thinking, ‘Hey, let’s prolong this for the sake of prolonging it.’ It’s about getting it right and ensuring the future for our children.”

What’s included in the budget?

The budget includes measures to give each state employee a raise of at least $2,500. For those earning more than $83,000 a year, the raise would be 3%. The projected raise will cost the state about $124 million. Law enforcement, corrections officers, nurses and mental health professionals employed by the state also will be in line for recruitment and retention raises, as the state struggles to fill those positions.

State employees on the state health plan also wouldn’t see a health care premium increase for a decade because the state would pay $121 million toward the premium hike.

The budget also includes money for an increase to the state starting teacher pay by $2,500, to $42,500. The additional $261 million in state aid to classrooms, which pays for teacher salaries, includes raising the every cell in the state teacher salary schedule, which pays teachers based on experience and education level, by $2,500.

Forty-six out of 78 school districts currently pay less than the proposed higher salary schedule, as other school districts use local dollars to pay teachers more.

Teachers also would see their supply stipends increase to $350 from $300, which would cost about $3 million.

The budget also has money for initiatives pushed by new Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver, who was elected in November to succeed Molly Spearman.

House budget writers included $42 million for literacy instruction training for kindergarten through third-grade teachers, including a $500 stipend for teachers who complete the training, and $15 million for high-intensity tutoring for students struggling in reading and math.

“The House was specifically interested in our literacy proposal, and I’ll be clear, that’s my number one priority too,” Weaver said.

Like all agencies, not all of Weaver’s request was funded by the Ways and Means Committee. She has called for $25 million worth of supplements for teachers who work in the highest needs schools in their districts.

“I certainly would love to see the entire request funded,” Weaver said. “I believe passionately in all of the ideas that I’ve presented to the General Assembly because I believe they’re ideas that can truly move the needle for teachers and for students, but I also understand that the General Assembly has many competing priorities that they have to fund, and so we’re grateful for what they’re willing to do to partner with us in this innovation work.”

Medicaid and Medicare spending also increases by $196 million under the House budget proposal. Because South Carolina’s economy is doing well, the amount the federal government matches for the two state health insurance programs is decreasing. Premiums and reimbursement rates also are going up, leading to the higher costs.

The budget proposal also includes $200 million to accelerate bridge repair work in the state Department of Transportation’s 10-year plan.

“Most of South Carolina’s bridges were built in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and 63% of the bridges on our interstate and primary networks need some type of repair or replacement,” said state Rep. Heather Ammons Crawford, R-Horry.

College students also will benefit from the budget proposal.

Budget writers also proposed spending $69 million to freeze tuition rates for in-state students at the state’s colleges and universities and an additional $15 million for a tuition freeze at the state’s technical colleges.

This would be the fifth year in a row the Legislature provided money to freeze tuition rates colleges and universities “and make college much more affordable for families and our students out there,” said state Rep. Nathan Ballentine, R-Lexington.

Budget writers also put in an additional $280 million for LIFE, HOPE and Palmetto Family Fellows scholarships, as well as $100 million for the workforce development scholarships through the state’s technical colleges.

“Most South Carolinians will benefit in one way or the other from one of those scholarships,” Ballentine said.