Statehouse Update Jan 24-26

The Senate on Tuesday is expected to once again take up the education scholarship proposal (S.39). The bill is supported by the Policy Council as well as a majority of likely SC voters, according to our recent poll. The bill is expected to include a mix of privately-funded scholarships as well as taxpayer-supported scholarships for low-income students, pending an amendment. 
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Government transparency

• S.134 – This bill would require all South Carolina school boards to livestream their meetings and post the video recordings online, a policy recommended in our recent transparency report.  A Senate Education subcommittee met Tuesday to consider the bill. 
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Medical records

• H.3232 – This bill would require a suspended, terminated or excluded Medicaid provider to provide a patient’s medical records at no charge. 
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Government transparency 

• As of Tuesday morning, Jan 24, most House legislative committee meetings are scheduled to be livestreamed. However, a number of Senate committees dealing with legislation are not set for livestreaming, though that could change. Our recent transparency report identified livestreaming and video archiving as essential for public awareness and engagement.
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State budget

The legislative budget process starts with state agencies presenting their spending requests to House budget subcommittees. Lawmakers will use the information received here to write the first draft of the state budget. The following subcommittees meet this week:

Criminal Justice Budget Subcommittee

• 1/24/23 Upon House adjournment – Hearing from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Bank (livestream here)
  

Constitutional Budget Subcommittee

• 1/24/23 upon House adjournment – Hearing from the State Election Commission, Retirement System Investment Commission, State Lottery Commission, Coroners, and Registers of Deeds (livestream here)
• 1/25/23 1.5 hours after House adjournment – Hearing from the Office of the Adjutant General and Emergency Management Division, and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (livestream here)

Healthcare budget subcommittee

• 1/24/23 Immediately after House adjournment  – Hearing from the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Mental Health (livestream here)
• 1/25/23 10:00 AM – Hearing from the Department of Social Services, Department on Aging, Department of Children’s Advocacy and Member Requests (livestream here)

Public Education and Special Schools budget subcommittee

• 1/24/23 1.5 hours after House adjournment – Hearing from the Governor’s School for Science and Math, Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, and Governor’s School for Agriculture at John de la Howe (livestream here)
• 1/25/23 12:00 PM – Hearing from the Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum, Patriot’s Point Naval & Maritime Museum and ETV (livestream here)

Higher Education budget subcommittee

• 1/24/23 2:30 PM – Hearing from MUSC, Winthrop University and College of Charleston (livestream here)
• 1/25/23 10:30 AM – Hearing from The Citadel and University of South Carolina System (livestream here)

Economic Development budget subcommittee

• 1/25/23 9:30 AM – Hearing from the Ports Authority, Research Authority, Housing and Arts Commission (livestream here)

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PREVIOUS WEEKS

• Jan 17-19
• Jan 10-12