state budget

Instead of talking a lot about budget vetoes, Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is talking about all his priorities that the Republican legislature kept in the spending plan like tax cuts, disaster relief and teacher raises.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for May 24, 2025: we have a budget agreement for the $14.7 billion spending plan; there was also agreement in Washington over the tax and spending Republican megabill this week; Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham gives his take on the megabill and his new bipartisan bill to sanction Russia further; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 12, 2025: the Senate Finance Committee approves its version of the $14.5 billion state budget and eliminates earmarks; what’s in the hands-free device driving bill that moved out of the House for the first time ever; Scott Morgan has a feature on electric busses; and more!

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for March 15, 2025: week nine of the legislative session just wrapped up, which means we are more than half-way done with the legislative session; the House passed its $14.5B general fund budget; the Senate was a bit quiet on its tort reform debate this week; and more!

March 12, 2025

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for March 11, 2025: lawmakers in the South Carolina House are debating the $14 billion spending plan that will soon head to the Senate; Sen. Lindsey Graham was in Columbia on Monday where he spoke about a federal government shutdown and other priorities; former 1st District Republican candidate Katie Arrington has a major, new gig; and more!

The South Carolina House ground to a halt at times Wednesday on its next-to-the-last day as members fought over rules and traded thinly veiled insults.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for April 27, 2024: we look at changes made by the Senate in their version of the state’s operating budget the chamber approved this week; we hear a songful testimony before a House judiciary subcommittee; we also talk with talk to Sen. Larry Grooms, who is leading an investigation into the $1.8 billion discrepancy on the state treasurer’s books; and more!

The South Carolina Senate has approved its budget. The final vote came Wednesday after approving items like requiring school children use the bathrooms of their sex assigned at birth and whether universities can spend state money to move to another athletic conference.

A South Carolina senator said the elected state treasurer has breached the public trust. The comment Tuesday by Republican state Sen. Larry Grooms came after lawmakers didn't get much clarity as they seek answers about how $1.8 billion ended up passing through a state bank account over the past decade without anyone knowing where it came from or was supposed to go.