2021 Statehouse Report # 7

Education Scholarship Accounts (ESA)

Legislation was introduced this week to create Education Scholarship Accounts. This aids low-income families by giving them access to educational options. 

Each parent of eligible students will receive a flexible education grant to purchase education services from the provider of their choosing. This may include:

• Private school

• Tutoring

• Instructional / Testing materials

• Special needs services

I look forward to supporting this legislation, spearheaded by my colleague Rep. Shannon Erickson to give parents a choice in how to best educate their children.

Transgender Women in Sports

Science is clear. There are physical differences between men and women. The Save Women’s Sports Act (H. 3477), sponsored by Rep. Ashley Trantham ensures that girls and women who play school sports are exclusively competing against other biological females. Sports serve as an outlet for many young women, and they deserve to compete comfortably and equitably. This common-sense legislation is not only supported by science. In a recent statewide poll, a majority of South Carolinians agree. I will support this bill when given the opportunity.

SOUND OFF: I want to know what you have to say about this bill. You have an opportunity to make your voice heard through participating in a survey/petition! Click *insert link* to participate.

***Note, YOU must create this survey/petition, so YOU have access to your constituent’s responses. Google forms is a great and easy way to do this if you have a Gmail account. I have linked instructions on how to do this and language for a survey/petition on this issue. Call me if you have trouble and come see me in the caucus office if you need help accessing the results.

School Funding Gone Rogue

In some areas of our state, there is funding being provided for students, sometimes $15,000-$20,000 per student, per year. However, the dollars spent are not always working their way into the classroom. This week, I supported legislation that provides that the Department of Education can step in to manage an underperforming school district after 3 consecutive years of underperformance. This helps to ensure two things: 1) our students have the resources they need, even in impoverished and predominantly minority areas, and 2) that all the money spent is being accounted for. 

Other Legislative News

   PASSED. This week, I helped pass a bill that reforms the transportation of Feral Hogs in our state. Feral Hogs have become an expensive nuisance to South Carolina’s farmers, and this bill aims to limit those detrimental effects.

   PASSED COMMITTEE: This week, the House Judiciary committee passed a bill that addresses limited availability of lethal injection in SC, by allowing electrocution of convicts when the lethal injection is not available. I support this matter. 

   PASSED COMMITTEE: A bill that protects the ability to attend religious gatherings, even during a State of Emergency or lockdown, also passed the House Judiciary committee this week. I will vote in favor of this bill when it reaches the floor. 

   PASSED SUBCOMMITTEE: Rep. Tommy Pope sponsored a bill that allows retired state employees, such as law enforcement officers, to return to work without the current $10,000 pay cap. This passed subcommittee on Wednesday and will move to full committee.

COVID-19 Vaccines Updates

WHO: Who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 Vaccine?

·      Frontline healthcare workers

·      Anyone 65+ years

·      State/local government employees who perform COVID-19 vaccinations/testing in SC

·      A full list of those qualified can be found here.

·      To understand who is getting vaccinated in SC by demographic, visit the Vaccination Dashboard

WHAT: What are the numbers?

·       Total Doses Given in South Carolina: 868,819

·        Total People Vaccinated in South Carolina: 621,118

·       People with 1 Vaccine dose: 619,248. People with 2 Vaccine doses: 248,924

·       A new CDC study shows that during 13 weeks of in-person at K-12 schools, 7 of 4,876 students and 0 of 654 staff contracted COVID-19 at school

HOW: How can I protect myself and my family?

·      The image below provides recommendations for best COVID-19 safety practices. Source: https://scdhec.gov/covid19

WHEN: When will I be eligible to be vaccinated? When can we go back to school?

·       Currently, South Carolina is in Phase 1A of the vaccination process. 

·       DHEC plans to transition to Phase 1B by early Spring. 

·       South Carolina obtains vaccinations from the Federal government, meaning the allocation is subject to change based on availability of vaccines.

·       Recent CDC studies show that K-12 schools can safely have in-person learning with limited in-school COVID-19 spread if safety measures are taken. 

WHERE: Where can I get vaccinated?

·      Find a vaccine location near you here.