South CarolinaSouth Carolina law sets judges’ pay using Supreme Court salaries
South Carolina’s law sets pay for several courts’ judges as percentages of the Supreme Court associate justices’ salary.
What it does
South Carolina’s law sets judicial pay using percentages of the Supreme Court associate justices’ salary, with different rates for appeals, circuit, and family court judges.
Argument forUsing set percentages may make pay relationships among appeals, circuit, and family court judges easier to understand.
Argument againstFixed pay percentages may leave less room to set salaries separately for appeals, circuit, and family court judges.
More detail
The law sets the chief justice’s salary at 105% of associate justices’ pay. The appeals chief judge gets 99%, other appeals judges 97.5%, and circuit and family court judges 95%. The percentages for appeals, circuit, and family court judges are based on the salary for Supreme Court associate justices. The General Assembly sets Supreme Court justices’ salaries in the annual state budget. The law took effect when the Governor approved it on May 18, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 5Effective date 05/18/26Latest
- Jun 2Act No. 182
- May 18Signed By Governor Henry McMasterBecame Law
- May 14Ratified R 163
- May 13Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolledTo Governor
- May 12Roll call Yeas-96 Nays-17
- Vote recorded Passage of Bill. Result: pass.Lower
- May 12Read second timeMinor
- May 6Committee report: Favorable Ways and MeansMinor
- Apr 30Referred to Committee on Ways and MeansMinor
- Apr 30Introduced and read first timeMinor
- Apr 29Read third time and sent to HousePassed 1st Chamber
- Apr 28Roll call Ayes-39 Nays-4
- Vote recorded 2nd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 28Read second timeMinor
- Apr 9Committee report: Favorable JudiciaryMinor
- Mar 11Referred to Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Mar 11Introduced and read first timeIntroduced
Government & Ethics