COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Supreme Court has struck down increase lawmakers voted for themselves for expenses , saying it amounted to an unconstitutional pay raise.

The state's high court delivered its unanimous ruling Wednesday morning on a lawsuit that was filed by one of the General Assembly's own members, Sen. Wes Climer, who objected to the extra compensation, as well as a woman who lived in his district.

During this year's session, the General Assembly put in a budget provision that allowed an increase from $1,000 a month to $2,500 a month for what's known as "in-district compensation." That money is supposed to go toward covering the official expenses of doing the job of a lawmaker. That money is separate from their actual pay for being a state lawmaker.

The court ru

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