South Carolina Senate passes lottery-funded voucher bill for private schools
FILE – This image provided by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History shows a design for the South Carolina state flag rejected by a Senate committee on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. The committee went for symmetry over a more natural look as it made a recommendation Wednesday to standardize the state’s iconic palmetto tree and crescent flag. (South Carolina Department of Archives and History via AP)
(WPDE) — The South Carolina Senate passed a bill Tuesday allowing parents to receive vouchers for private schools.
The K-12 Education Lottery Scholarship would use funds from the South Carolina Education Lottery to fund scholarships for private schools.
In September, the South Carolina Supreme Court struck down a portion of the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Act, a similar measure that allowed parents to use state money for private schools.
Some lawmakers believe this latest bill will survive a legal challenge because it uses lottery money to fund the scholarships.
“What we’re looking at now is funding it through a different fund, a different revenue stream that does not go through the general fund,” Republican Sen. Hembree, District 28 (Horry County) said in December. “So it’s really changing the structure of it to address the court’s concern, but the substance of it, the goal of it would still be reached.”
The bill had its third reading Tuesday and passed by a vote of 31-9. The bill now heads to the House.
The South Carolina Education Association (SCEA) released a statement shortly after the bill passed, calling it an unconstitutional scheme to use public lottery funds to support private schools.
“By the South Carolina State Senate passing the new voucher bill S.62, our Senators have demonstrated a troubling push on a national, partisan agenda item to score political points at the detriment of our public schools which educate over 95% of South Carolina’s children,” said a statement from the SCEA. “This misguided effort to divert public funds from public education towards private school will further deplete existing resources and undermine our public school system that is to benefit all South Carolinians. We ask that members of the South Carolina House of Representatives halt this bill immediately, ensuring it does not reach the Governor’s desk for signing.”
Horry County Senator Greg Hembree took to social media after the Senate approved the legislation on its Second Reading saying, “This bill will expand education choice for low and middle-income families to pursue the best path for their children.”
