By Lindsay Street, Statehouse correspondent | There were an estimated 10,000 more children uninsured in South Carolina in 2017 than in 2016, according to a new report released by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families.
The number increased from 50,000 uninsured children in 2016 to 60,000 uninsured children in 2017. This was after the state’s rate of uninsured children dropped from 12.1 percent in 2008 to 4.3 percent in 2016, only to ratchet back up to 5.1 percent in 2017, the analysis of U.S. Census data shows.
“The loss of health coverage could have a profound impact on our most vulnerable children,” South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center Director Sue Berkowitz said in a press release this week. “When their health needs are met, they are more likely to attend school regularly, graduate and earn a decent living.”
The state’s increases come as more than 276,000 children nationally joined the ranks of the uninsured last year, the first significant increase in nearly a decade. Three quarters of children who lost coverage live in states that, like South Carolina, have not expanded Medicaid to working families.
South Carolina’s child uninsured rate increased at quadruple the rate of states that have expanded Medicaid. It is one of nine states that saw statistically significant increases between 2016 and 2017, according to the most recent data. Those states include South Dakota, Utah, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Tennessee and Massachusetts.
Also in recent news:
Report cards issued. South Carolina schools got mixed reviews on the new report cards issued by the S.C. Department of Education. The bad news? About 43 percent of diploma earners last school year were deemed college-ready, and 66 percent were deemed career-ready — and the state’s graduation rate has declined. But some education leaders are already pushing back, saying the report cards could be misleading.
Ex-lawmaker gets bail. Former GOP state Rep. Jim Harrison of Columbia asked a judge to allow him to stay out of prison while he is appealing a guilty verdict on misconduct and perjury. This week, a judge granted $250,000 bail to allow him to stay out of jail during the appeal. Harrison was supposed to report to prison today to begin an 18-month sentence.
- Ethics is on lawmakers’ minds going into the session. As pre-filing legislation begins in December, S.C. Sen. Greg Hembree, R-Horry, told Statehouse Report he intends on pushing further ethics reform in Columbia. See how the 2018 effort on ethics reform died here.
College watchdog head resigns. S.C. Commission on Higher Education Director Jeff Schilz has resigned his post after questions arose about his allegedly unauthorized pay increase of $91,000 (as interim director he received $166,280 a year and the board reportedly later offered him $257,767 a year). He is the second official to resign amid questions from lawmakers. Schilz repaid the two months where he drew the ballooned salary (about $15,000 over two months). He will remain director for the next two weeks. Read more here.
- In other higher education news: S.C. Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, told Statehouse Report he intends to pre-file legislation on codifying the Palmetto Promise scholarship program for the state’s technical colleges. Check out our previous coverage here.
Looking ahead
Prefiles begin in December. The Senate will publish its members’ prefiled bills the afternoon of Dec. 12, and the House will publish its members’ prefiled bills the afternoon of Dec. 18.
- Another prefiled bill sponsored by Hembree is reforming how the state doles out lottery money for education. See our June coverage of the billions in underfunding here.
- Medical marijuana will return this session, too. Hutto said he is teaming up with S.C. Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, again on pushing the legislation.
- Hutto said he will again push for putting toll booths on Interstate 95.
Children’s advocate salary range. Lawmakers’ Agency Head Salary Commission will meet 2:30 p.m. Dec. 3 in room 408 of the Gressette building to discuss salaries for the Children’s Advocate and to discuss other items. See the agenda here.
Click below for other items coming up in the Statehouse:
- House calendar
- Senate calendar
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