Published • loading... • Updated
McMaster Signs Off on South Carolina Budget, Vetoes 14 Provisions
The vetoes trim 14 items while preserving funding for tax cuts, teacher raises, school safety and $377 million for roads and bridges.
- On Monday, Governor Henry McMaster announced 14 line-item vetoes on South Carolina's $15 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2027, rejecting provisions he deemed repetitive with new state laws.
- McMaster argued a school bathroom proviso was redundant after the legislature passed the South Carolina Student Physical Privacy Act, and rejected a measure delaying Scout Motors project payments, citing contractual obligations.
- Additional vetoes include an $800,000 appropriation for the closed South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy and rejection of a provision forgiving a $350,000 grant for Pacolet, which McMaster said involved misappropriated funds.
- Despite the vetoes, the final budget fulfills major priorities: raising starting teacher pay to $50,500, lowering the top individual income tax rate to 5.21%, and adopting 92% of McMaster's executive recommendations.
- The General Assembly may override these vetoes if each chamber secures a two-thirds majority vote, though the budget becomes final upon the governor's signature.
Insights by Ground AI
11 Articles
11 Articles
SC governor vetoes delay on paying agency overruns at Scout Motors site
Gov. Henry McMaster talks to reporters about his budget vetoes at the Statehouse in Columbia, S.C., on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette)COLUMBIA — State agencies can go ahead and pay contractors for their work at the Scout Motors site in Blythewood after Gov. Henry McMaster nixed legislators’ requirement that they wait for a full review of taxpayer dollars spent. The budget clause was among just 14 vetoes McMaster i…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution78% Center
Bias Distribution
- 78% of the sources are Center
78% Center
11%
C 78%
11%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
