S. 933 revises how members of the South Carolina General Assembly are paid. The bill would set legislative compensation and the in-district legislative service allowance at a combined $47,500 for members beginning with the 128th General Assembly, replacing the current structure of a $15,000 legislative salary plus a $32,500 in-district allowance. It also requires the compensation package to be adjusted every two years after House elections by the chained consumer price index, capped at 5 percent, with the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Authority responsible for calculating and publishing the adjustment.
The bill also adds a new acceptance requirement for members of the 128th General Assembly: to receive the higher compensation, a member must file a written statement accepting the increase. Members who do not file the statement would continue to receive the same compensation as members of the 126th General Assembly, and the bill prohibits conditioning that filing decision on how a member voted on the increase. In addition, the bill amends the retirement system definition of earnable compensation so that, for benefit calculations, only the members’ salary as provided by law counts, limiting the retirement benefit base to salary rather than broader compensation components.
The bill’s impact on state law is to amend Section 2-3-20 governing General Assembly compensation and Section 9-9-10 governing the General Assembly Retirement System. It changes both current and future compensation rules, creates a statutory inflation-adjustment mechanism, and narrows the compensation amount used in retirement benefit calculations. It also preserves constitutional limitations and includes a severability clause, with the act taking effect upon gubernatorial approval.
The general sentiment reflected in the voting history appears mixed but ultimately favorable enough for passage. The Senate advanced the bill on second reading by a 24-18 vote, and the House later adopted an amendment and passed the bill by a 57-45 vote. Those margins suggest meaningful support, but also substantial opposition, consistent with a bill that increases legislator pay and affects retirement calculations.
The main point of contention is likely the increase in legislative compensation itself and the automatic inflation adjustment, both of which can be politically sensitive because they directly benefit sitting lawmakers. The acceptance-statement requirement also suggests concern about forcing members to affirm the increase, while the retirement-system change may draw scrutiny from those focused on pension costs or benefit calculations. Supporters likely view the bill as a structured, transparent compensation update, while opponents likely see it as an increase in lawmaker pay and a change to retirement benefits.
Impact
The bill amends South Carolina law to increase and restructure legislative compensation, establish a biennial inflation adjustment capped at 5 percent, and limit earnable compensation for General Assembly retirement benefits to salary only. It affects members of the General Assembly, the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Authority, and the retirement system governing legislative pensions.
Sentiment
Voting indicates the bill had enough support to pass both chambers, but not without notable resistance. The Senate second-reading vote was 24-18, and the House passage vote was 57-45 after adopting an amendment, showing a divided response and suggesting the measure was controversial, especially because it concerns pay for legislators themselves.
Contention
The most significant contention is the increase in legislative compensation and the automatic CPI-based adjustment, which opponents may view as self-benefiting or too generous. Another likely issue is the retirement-system amendment limiting earnable compensation to salary, which could affect future benefit calculations and may raise concerns about pension policy. The requirement that members file a written acceptance to receive the higher pay also appears designed to address political sensitivity around lawmakers voting on their own compensation.