South Carolina Senate approves new school voucher legislation
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A push to reinstate South Carolina’s private school voucher program has just cleared a major hurdle at the State House.
Senators approved a new bill Thursday night – only a few months after the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled a similar plan was unconstitutional.
Senators voted almost totally along party lines to approve the bill after two weeks of debate.
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By a vote of 32-12, Senate Bill 62 was given a second reading.
The bill would give up to 15,000 K-12 students a year state money to use on certain approved expenses, including private school tuition.
Last year, the state Supreme Court found that type of spending – funded with taxpayer dollars in the state’s general fund – violated South Carolina’s constitution.
So Senate Republicans are trying to get around that ruling by funding this program – with lottery revenues.
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“We’ve got to do something to ensure parents have options for their kids,” said Sen. Josh Kimbrell, R-Spartanburg.
Under the bill, a student’s scholarship amount would vary from year to year – based on the average per-pupil funding that public schools got from the state the year before – about $7,500 this year.
At full implementation, students would be eligible if their family’s income was less than 400% of the federal poverty line – around $125,000 for a family of four.
Senators cut that down from an initial proposal of 600% – nearly $200,000 for a family of four.
All Democrats voted against the bill – arguing the millions of dollars that would be allocated for private school tuition – could be better put to use toward improving public schools.
“We could undertake on a path, using that kind of funding, to build schools all across the state,” said Sen. Ronnie Sabb, D-Williamsburg.
After a final vote here in the Senate next Tuesday – this bill will move to the House of Representatives.
While Republicans in the House are overwhelmingly in of the program – leaders have said they’re not on board at this point with the lottery-funding idea.
The bill is a top priority this year for Gov. Henry McMaster, as well.
He urged lawmakers to get it to him as soon as possible.
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