Happy Birthday, America! Plus my End of Session Legislative Update

Beth Bernstein
6 days ago
5 min read

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We have just concluded the first term of the 2025-2026 legislative session in the General Assembly. I am happy to report that we continue to prioritize recruiting and retaining teachers and valuing our state employees as major priorities this year. We are also one step closer to expanding paid parental leave from 6 weeks to 12 weeks for all state employees, including our teachers. This is a bill that I have been working on for several years.

On May 28, 2025, we passed this year's budget beginning fiscal year July 1, 2025. I have outlined below how these budgetary funds will be allocated and have provided a summary of some of the bills we enacted and debated this year.

If you did not receive my newsletter in the mail and would like a copy, please click on link for a copy. https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:7ca3bc01-68dc-48a7-8f35-f196539eddee

I hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July! Happy Birthday, America!

As always, thank you for the honor and privilege of representing you and our community at the Statehouse!

Best,

2025 End of Session Legislative Update

Fiscal Year 2025-2026

Budget Highlights

The budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26 consists of $41 billion which includes the following:

$ 12.5 billion Federal Funds
$ 13.3 billion Recurring Funds
$ 1.5 billion Non-Recurring Funds (one time)
$ 13.4 billion Other Funds

$291 million in new income tax relief as state income tax rates are lowered to a top marginal rate of 5.39% and lowest marginal tax rate of 1.99%.

$814 million for property tax reimbursements from the Tax Relief Fund.

$71.3 million to freeze in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for the 7th year in a row.

$25 million to support the well-being of infants and children, including mobile maternity care, hospital care for critically ill children, and more.

$50 million for in-patient, residential, and community treatment options for serious mental health and substance abuse issues.

$66.6 million in recurring revenue devoted to a 2% state employee pay increase, or greater increase in cases where it is needed to bring employees salaries up to the minimum levels of the new pay grades established by the South Carolina Department of Administration.

$106 million in recurring funds is included to cover increased costs in the state's health insurance plan so that employees are held harmless with no increases in their monthly premium payments.

$200 million in nonrecurring funds is allocated to accelerate the Department of Transportation’s schedule for repairing and replacing the state’s bridges.

$40 million in nonrecurring funds to replenish South Carolina's Disaster Relief Fund to address damage from Hurricane Helene and Debby.

$5.5 million in recurring funds and $25 million in nonrecurring funds for conservation grant funding; $2 million in recurring funds and $8 million in nonrecurring funds for working agricultural lands grants, $20 million in nonrecurring funds for strategic land acquisition.

Raising Teacher Pay

• $1,500 teacher salary increase. The average teacher salary now exceeds the Southeastern average.

• New minimum starting salary of $48,000. This constitutes an increase of 74% since 2015-2016. Minimum teacher pay now exceeds that of North Carolina and Georgia.

Increases to Public Education Funding

• $4.4 million increase to 4K funding.

• $56.2 million in recurring funds to provide a school resource officer for every public school in the state.

• $75 million for high-quality instructional materials.

• $20 million for school facility safety, including updated door locks, secure entry points and access, and perimeter fencing.

Significant Bills Enacted This Year

Act No. 40, SC Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act:** This law prohibits the use of handheld mobile devices while driving, aiming to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving. This law takes effect on September 1, 2025, but law enforcement will only issue warnings until March 1, 2026. First-time offenders face a $100 fine, with subsequent violations resulting in $200 fines and potential points on the driver’s license.

Act No. 41, SC Energy Security Act: This law reforms the state’s energy utility regulations to meet our state’s growing energy needs. It streamlines the regulatory review process for energy projects by directing all state agencies to expedite their reviews and make decisions on energy-related infrastructure projects within six months of receiving an application. It also authorizes a joint venture between Santee Cooper and Dominion Energy to convert the retired coal-fired Canadys Station into a natural gas facility.

Act No. 42, Tort and Liquor Liability Reform: To address soaring insurance rates for establishments that serve alcohol, this bill allows restaurants to reduce required liability coverage by implementing measures such as alcohol server training and ID verification. The bill also limits liability for establishments and prohibits “knowingly” selling liquor to persons in an intoxicated state.

Act 57, Act 58 Prohibitions of obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse:** The legislature passed several bills related to images of child sexual abuse, with an aim to prevent images generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The bill strengthens law enforcement authority to crack down on these images.

Act No. 11, Private School Vouchers: This bill establishes the Educational Scholarship Trust Fund to allow public funds to pay for private school tuition for eligible students in the amount of $7,500 per student for the 2025-2026 school year. The state Supreme Court ruled a similar law was unconstitutional last year, so legal challenges are expected to this new law. (I voted against this bill for that reason. I also do not support taking money away from our public schools to support private school education.)

Act No. 12, Educator Assistance Act: This law strengthens support for teachers by making teaching certificates permanent, expanding leave-sharing options, and requiring earlier notice of assignments and pay. It increases planning time as well and improves the flexibility of teacher contracts.

Act No. 15, South Carolina Conservation Education Act: This law establishes the South Carolina Conservation

Education Act fund, dedicated to supporting programs that connect youth with nature through the classroom

and resource education.

Act No. 23, School meals for students in poverty: This law expands access to breakfast and lunch for students

living in poverty by including students who qualify for Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, or are homeless, transient, or in

foster care.

Other Important Bills

H3645, State Employees Paid Parental Leave:* Increases state employee paid parental leave for new mothers from 6 weeks to 12 weeks for all state employees, including South Carolina’s public school teachers, and increases leave for the other parent from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. Passed the House and sent to the Senate for debate.

H4145, South Carolina Pray Safe Act:* Establishes the SC Pray Safe Grant Program to provide grants for security enhancements to churches, synagogues, and other places of worship which are at risk of being victims of a religiously motivated crime. Referred to Judiciary Committee, to be debated in January.

**bills which I co-sponsored

*bills which I am primary sponsor

This year’s recipient of the Beth Bernstein Women's Leadership Scholarship award is Neveah Casiano-Day. Miss Casiano-Day is a 2025 Spring Valley High School graduate who will be pursuing a nursing degree at Midlands Technical College in the fall. Every year, I am able to provide a $1,000 one-time scholarship to a female high school senior, residing in my house district, who will be attending a South Carolina university, college, or technical college. The scholarship is based on several criteria including, but not limited to, academics, leadership skills, and extra-curricular activities.

Contact Me

If you have a comment or opinion concerning the matters discussed in this report, or if I may be assistance to you at any time, please feel free to call me at my legislative office (803-212-6940) or write to me at 532-C Blatt Building, Columbia, SC 29211; or beth@bethbernsteinsc.com

Interested in receiving these legislative updates? You may sign up by visiting my website at www.bethbernsteinsc.com