South Carolina lawmakers remained at an impasse over the state budget Tuesday after more than six hours of negotiations failed to produce a compromise, extending a budget stalemate that has lasted three weeks.
Members of the budget conference committee met at the State House in an effort to resolve differences between House and Senate spending plans. However, House negotiators declined to accept the Senate's latest proposal, leaving the budget unfinished.
The biggest sticking point remains earmarks, or one-time appropriations for local projects and nonprofit organizations.
The House version of the budget includes about $315 million in earmarks, while the Senate proposal contains roughly $130 million.
Senate negotiators have pushed to reduce earmark spending and redirect some of that money toward expanding the state's Homestead Exemption, an existing property tax exemption for eligible senior homeowners.
The conference committee is expected to continue negotiations as lawmakers work to reach an agreement on a final spending plan.