After last week’s inclement weather and a perfunctory session, the South Carolina State House returned to full swing with significant developments in education policy and budget discussions.
Senate Approves School Voucher Bill
This week, the South Carolina Senate passed S. 62, a bill that would allocate South Carolina Education Lottery funds for private school scholarships. The bill passed with a 32-12 vote, largely along party lines—most Republicans voted in favor, though some raised concerns about eligibility expansion, while Democrats opposed it. The bill now moves to the House Education and Public Works Committee.
Key Details:
Funding Source: The scholarships would be funded through South Carolina Education Lottery revenue, addressing concerns raised by the state Supreme Court, which found that using the state’s general fund to support private education violated the state constitution.
Eligibility Expansion & Scholarship Amounts: The bill increases both the number of eligible students and the amount of scholarship funding available.
Priority Enrollment: Under the new bill, priority enrollment would go to:
Students from families with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level
Public school students seeking to transfer
After these priority groups, students already attending private schools could apply for any available spots. The eligibility cap will expand to 400% of the federal poverty level for the 2026-27 school year, allowing up to 15,000 students to benefit from the program.
Amendments Limit Expansion: While some lawmakers sought to broaden the program’s scope, amendments narrowed what could have been a near-universal expansion of eligibility.
Governor McMaster’s State of the State Address
Governor Henry McMaster, now the longest-serving governor in South Carolina’s history, delivered his annual State of the State address. He highlighted economic growth, energy security, and workforce development as top priorities for the state, emphasizing initiatives like income tax cuts, school choice expansion, and stricter penalties for fentanyl trafficking. These initiatives will be central to ongoing budget discussions and will shape the legislative agenda in the weeks ahead.
House Ways and Means Committee Budget Hearings
This week, the House Ways and Means budget subcommittees were in full swing, holding hearings to review funding requests from state agencies. These discussions are crucial as they will help determine the budget allocations, including funding for key priorities like education, healthcare, and law enforcement.
Looking Ahead
With major legislation advancing, the coming weeks will be crucial for education policy, state budget negotiations, economic development, and energy policy. As Governor McMaster highlighted in his State of the State address, energy security and investments in energy infrastructure will play a key role in shaping the state’s future.
Alpha Strategies is closely monitoring these developments and will continue to provide insights on the policies that will shape South Carolina’s future. Stay tuned for timely updates.
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