Several Bills Give Additional Highway Funding a Chance

Several bills have been introduced in both the Senate and House that if passed, could give additional funding for the State’s highways and bridges.

A senate bill directs revenue collected from the sales tax on automobiles from the State’s General Fund to the State’s Highway Fund. Estimates are that between $90 million and $104 million could go to highways if this legislation passed. Senators McConnell, Grooms, Lourie, Ryberg, Elliott, Leventis, McGill and Setzler are bill sponsors.

Two other Senate bills direct portions of any excess revenue the State might acquire in a fiscal year to fund highways through the State Highway Fund and the State Highway Trust Fund.  Money to the State Highway Fund is dedicated to non-federal highway funds for maintenance.

The House has a similar bill directing the revenue from the sales tax on automobiles to the State’s Highway Fund and the State Highway Trust Fund.

The engineering community and other member of the South Carolina Alliance to Fix Our Roads are supporting these bills.