South Carolina Senate approves state’s $8 billion budget

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COLUMBIA (AP) The South Carolina Senate has passed the state’s $8 billion budget for next fiscal year.

Senators voted 37-4 on Thursday to approve the spending plan.

The bill will likely go to a committee of House and Senate members to work out the differences between the chambers unless the House agrees with the Senate’s proposal.

One big difference is $250,000 for raises for South Carolina’s nine constitutional statewide offices. Gov. Henry McMaster said on Twitter he will veto that proposal because he wants more money for police officers in schools.

The Senate also put in the budget a proposal requiring cities and counties to file an annual report to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division showing they had followed immigration laws and were not so-called “sanctuary cities.”