Here's what we accomplished in 2019 👍

It was quite a busy year in the South Carolina Senate. I know it’s been a little while since we last talked, so let me bring you up to speed on what I’ve been working on…

The State Legislature finished the 1st Regular Session of the 123rd General Assembly with conference committee meetings, final votes on this year's budget, and more.

After careful deliberation with our colleagues in the House, we passed a budget that invests in our communities, rewards our hard-working citizens, and will bring good to all corners of the Palmetto State.

Included in the $9 billion budget was everything from pay raises for state employees and teachers, to flood relief for those impacted by Hurricane Florence.

In the coming days, I would like to share with you some of the results from this Session. So, this will be the first in a series of short emails highlighting our work this year.

I want to start with Education — since that is such a critical part of our job and has a direct impact on all of South Carolina.

Thousands of South Carolina public school teachers descended on the Statehouse on May 1, 2019 demanding improvements in the state's public schools. Photo by Russ McKinney/SC Public Radio

K-12 Education

This year, our teachers rallied together in record numbers to demand change to our state's education system. We heard their concerns and we agreed— something needed to be done.

K-12 education was a major focus for the Senate when we constructed the 2019-2020 budget. And we got results.

We increased starting salaries for first-year teachers to $35,000, and approved a fully-funded 4 percent pay raise for all teachers.

The budget also provides:

• $15 million aded to the Education Funding Act for direct funding of classroom instruction.

• $19.3 million for 241 school bus purchases.

• $50 million for school district capital improvements

This is just the beginning — I will proudly continue my fight to better education in South Carolina when we return next year, and will always advocate for our students and teachers.

Senator Setzler presents President Harris Pastides (center) with a S.C. Senate resolution on May 2, 2019 recognizing his profound impact on the University of South Carolina community.

Higher Education

Now more than ever, higher education plays a crucial role in preparing folks for a competitive job market.

Our universities, technical colleges and trade schools serve as gateways to great career opportunities, and help us train a highly-skilled work force for our state.

The budget aims to broaden access to higher education, preserve the institutions that have long taught South Carolinians, and to equip our instructors and students with cutting edge technology in their classrooms.

This year's budget also appropriates:

• $42 million in new, recurring funding for colleges, universities, and technical schools, to help mitigate tuition increases for our In-State students and make a college degree more obtainable.

• $1.6 million of new funding for need-based grants.

• $17 million was added for the SC Workforce Industry Needs Scholarship, which provides technical college scholarships to students seeking degrees in critical workforce areas, and to high school students who qualify for free and reduced lunches to pursue degrees in any area.

Senator Setzler stands with fellow state leaders on April 17, 2019 in a bipartisan effort to oppose seismic testing and offshore drilling anywhere along the coast of South Carolina.

But that wasn’t all.

The State Tech Board received $19.2 million for the ReadySC program, which will support recruitment and training efforts for industries investing in South Carolina. Companies partnered with ReadySC include Boeing, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Samsung, and Volvo.

In addition, this budget designates $119 million (78% of the Capital Reserve Fund) for our colleges and universities to address the much-needed maintenance and renovations to existing buildings across their campuses.

Every student in South Carolina deserves the opportunity to continue their education in safe, modern facilities, taught by the very best instructors and professors. This massive investment in higher education will not only change the lives of students who will be able to attend college, but will better our entire state in the long-term.

Next Up

I have more exciting accomplishments to tell you about over the coming days, including updates on economic development, transportation, health/public safety, and elections.

So, keep an eye out for that soon and we’ll talk then.

—Nikki