House and Senate Budget Dispute Over 1st Veterinary School in South Carolina Erupts Into Public

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) The $100 million deadlock in South Carolina's $13 billion budget erupted into public view Wednesday as the highest ranking House Democrat accused the Senate's budget leader of putting pets over people for insisting on money for the state's first veterinary school.

A group of three House members and three senators have been trying to work out the differences since May 16. Negotiations, when they happen, have been quiet and behind the scenes until Wednesday's conference committee meeting.

The new budget starts on July 1. The government won't shut down if the chambers can't reach a deal, but all the new spending for the 2023-24 fiscal year budget won't start, including raises for almost all state employees.

Republican Senate Finance Committee Chairman Harvey Peeler set the tone for the meeting from the start, saying negotiations were at an impasse over money to open a new veterinary school at Clemson University. The Senate wants $112 million to get the school up and running. The House budget has about $8 million that would only start planning.