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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A South Carolina legislative panel has approved giving state agency directors and college presidents their first state-provided raise in five years.

The Agency Head Salary Commission voted Tuesday to give directors and technical college presidents a 7 percent salary increase. The panel approved 8 percent raises for presidents of four-year public colleges.

Tom Hatfield, one of the panel's three non-lawmakers, voted against all three proposals. Republican Rep. Mike Pitts voted against the 8 percent raises.

Budget and Control Board spokeswoman Lindsey Krimlick says the raises are the first approved by the panel since 2007.

Legislators gave most state employees 3 percent raises in the current budget -- 5 percent for state law enforcement officers earning less than $50,000. Those were the first raises in four years for state employees.