South Carolina Senate approves $15.4B budget after debate on bathrooms and conference switching

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Senate Wednesday after debating items like requiring school children use the bathrooms of their sex assigned at birth and whether universities can spend state money to move to another athletic conference. The $15.4 billion budget for next fiscal year raises salaries for state employees and teachers, sets aside more money to improve and repair roads and bridges and doubles a planned income tax cut to 0.2%. It also sets up a showdown with the House over the next month or beyond as the...