Press Releases

Investing in the Future of South Carolina

Submitted on: January 15, 2024

In June, the General Assembly reconvened to pass the state’s budget. H. 4300, South Carolina’s General Appropriations Bill, for the Fiscal Year of 2023-2024, solidified funding for necessary projects, state agencies, and community improvements. The budget, as adopted on June 14:

• Fully funds the Local Government Fund with a $13.2 million increase.
• Funds a $2500/5% pay raise for State Employees and covers all increases to health plan premiums.
• Appropriates $200 million to the Office of Resiliency for disaster relief and the resiliency reserve fund.
• Provides $12 million to the Rural County Stabilization Fund.
• Provides $20 million in new money to County Transportation Committees.
• Provides funding for the state’s Office of Suicide Prevention and 9-8-8 call centers.
• Appropriates funds to pay mandated State Guard training days and to revitalize our state’s armories.
• Provides funding for additional circuit court and family court judges, clerks, and court reporters to help with the case backlog in our state courts.

The budget also increases funding for criminal justice initiatives, including the following:

• $29 million in recurring funding to provide 504 Resource Officers for schools.
• Funds over $13 million to increase salaries for law enforcement officers, $12.8 million for correctional officers, and $5.2 million for nurses and mental health professionals working in these agencies.

The budget improves the state’s public education system through the following:

• Funds a $2,500 increase to teacher salary and raises the Teacher Supply Reimbursement to $350.
• Increases bus driver salaries.
• Provides $120 million in capital funding for school districts.
• Freezes tuition rates for the upcoming year for universities and technical colleges.
• Provides $92 million for need-based aid in higher education, $10 million more than last year.
• Allocates funding for the first College of Veterinary Medicine (Clemson), the Brain Health Institute (USC), and the replacement of Turner Hall (SCSU).