Governor Henry McMaster has announced his line-item vetoes for South Carolina’s 2026-27 state budget, while also highlighting several major priorities that remain funded in the final spending plan.
The governor says the final budget includes 92 percent of the proposals from his executive budget. Among the highlights, South Carolina’s top individual income tax rate drops to 5.21 percent, while the Homestead Exemption for qualifying residents increases from $50,000 to $75,000. The budget raises the minimum starting salary for teachers to $50,500 and continues funding for school resource officers and expanded full-day 4K.
It also freezes in-state college tuition for a seventh straight year, provides $95 million for workforce scholarships at technical colleges, and includes $377 million for roads and bridges. Additional highlights include $88 million for conservation and new funding for pay raises, overtime and hiring at state law enforcement and criminal justice agencies.