{"id":2440446,"date":"2025-05-29T13:27:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T17:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-carolina-boosts-lawmaker-pay-in-2026-budget-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-05-29T13:28:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T17:28:26","slug":"south-carolina-boosts-lawmaker-pay-in-2026-budget-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-carolina-boosts-lawmaker-pay-in-2026-budget-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"South Carolina boosts lawmaker pay in 2026 budget &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsouth-carolina-boosts-lawmaker-pay-in-2026-budget-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2440446&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>South Carolina lawmakers are on the verge of a notable salary increase as they have approved their 2026 budget,which proposes to raise their monthly pay from $1,000 to $2,500. This marks the first salary raise for legislators since 1990. Republican Governor henry McMaster is expected to sign the bill, allowing the increase to take effect from july 1, 2026.The budget also includes provisions for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/black-mississippi-democrats-walk-out-of-senate-over-bill-to-would-prohibit-teaching-children-any-race-is-superior-or-inferior\/\" title=\"Black Mississippi Democrats Walk Out of Senate over Bill to Would Prohibit Teaching Children Any Race Is Superior or Inferior\">teacher pay raises<\/a> and funding for state technical school renovations. There is some dissent among lawmakers regarding how the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">pay raise<\/a> process has been handled, with concerns that such decisions should be made by voters thru elections rather than by the legislature itself.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">South Carolina boosts lawmaker pay in 2026 budget<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2132800\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Members of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/south-carolina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">South Carolina<\/a> General Assembly are one step closer to a major pay raise after approving their 2026 budget, which includes a provision to more than double their salaries.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/state-legislatures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Lawmakers<\/a> currently make $1,000 a month and have not seen a salary increase since 1990.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3425161\/james-comer-teases-joe-jill-biden-subpoena-autopen\/\">James Comer teases subpoenas for Joe and Jill Biden<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3425232\/palestinian-mobs-raid-foot-storage-collapse-hamas-power-gaza-strip\/\">Palestinian mobs raiding food storages show collapse of Hamas power in Gaza<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3425113\/iran-truck-driver-revolt-continues-increased-fuel-prices\/\">Truck driver revolt continues following Iran&#8217;s announcement to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-weighing-shutting-down-oil-pipeline-in-michigan-as-gas-prices-skyrocket-across-u-s-report\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Weighing Shutting Down Oil Pipeline In Michigan As Gas Prices Skyrocket Across U.S.: Report\">increase fuel prices<\/a><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>If Republican Gov. Henry McMaster (SC) signs the bill, lawmakers will make $2,500 a month, with few limits on how the money can be spent.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The anticipation is you will spend that on your constituents, doing the job they&rsquo;ve elected you to do and going to the places they have asked you to go,&rdquo; Republican House Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister said. &ldquo;If you do not spend the money on your constituents, that&rsquo;s on you.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Legislators will see their raise starting July 1.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While McMaster possesses a line-item veto, lawmakers do not anticipate him vetoing their salary increase. As a result, lawmakers are expected to return to work in January 2026.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, not all lawmakers agree with how they went about legislating their pay raise.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If there is going to be a pay raise, the people, by way of elections, ought to decide who does and who does not get that raise,&rdquo; Republican state <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/pay-raise-legislators-south-carolina-general-assembly-92c685410e6be35f8f802959bd6dd117?user_email=162c5ae443a61a52f524de737cc6f3c61712d530f24f119829e8cac99ab49798&amp;utm_medium=Morning_Wire&amp;utm_source=Sailthru_AP&amp;utm_campaign=Morning%20Wire_29%20May_2025&amp;utm_term=Morning%20Wire%20Subscribers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Sen. Wes Climer told<\/a> the <em>Associated Press.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3252920\/republicans-turn-next-year-governor-battle-party-2024-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>REPUBLICANS TURN TO 2025 GOVERNOR BATTLES AS PARTY LOOKS TO RIDE 2024 SUCCESS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In 2014, then-Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) vetoed a bill that would have increased lawmakers&rsquo; salaries by $1,000.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The $14.5 billion budget also includes provisions for a teacher pay raise, renovations for <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >state technical schools<\/a>, and funding to lower the state&rsquo;s top income tax to 6%.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2132800\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2132800\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>South Carolina lawmakers are set for a pay raise in 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2542,"featured_media":2440447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/South-Carolina-lawmakers-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[52423,51601,56143,41960,32076],"class_list":["post-2440446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-2026-budget","tag-government-funding-2","tag-lawmaker-pay","tag-south-carolina","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/South-Carolina-lawmakers-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2440446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2542"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2440446"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2440446\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2440450,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2440446\/revisions\/2440450"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2440447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2440446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2440446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2440446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}