Staff reports | Gov. Henry McMaster issued an order Monday to ban foster care and group homes in the state from taking in unaccompanied children found at the U.S.-Mexican border. The order comes after the governor contacted DSS about the system’s capacity to accommodate minors, thousands of whom have entered the U.S. in recent months.
More coverage: The Post and Courier | AP News | Florence Morning News
Also this week, the governor said the NCAA should mind “their own business” on transgender laws. He criticized the college sports organization for its talk of barring states with anti-transgender laws from holding championships. More: WCBD TV
McMaster also urged state lawmakers to not borrow $500 million for port improvements. He said he wanted to use surplus money likely coming to the state this year for improvements at the Charleston port rather than borrowing. More: The Post and Courier. McMaster also appointed attorney Bill Coates of Greenville to serve on the board of the S.C. State Ports Authority and reappointed six other directors: Bill Stern, Willie Jeffries, Kurt Grindstaff, Whitemarsh Smith, Pamela Lackey and Mark Buyck Jr. to the board’s at-large seats.
In other recent news:
S.C. closer to passing hate crimes law. South Carolina is one of three states that doesn’t have a hate crimes law. But earlier this month, a bill that would remove the state from that short list passed easily through the House. More: The Post and Courier
State pauses J&J vaccine distribution after federal recommendation. South Carolina health officials said they are pausing the distribution of the Johnsons and Johnson vaccine, heeding advisories from the federal Centers for Disease Control over concerns about blood clotting in some who received the vaccine. The state Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reported on Thursday that nearly one million state residents have completed vaccination. Currently, 995,974 people are fully protected against COVID-19. The majority of people (573,340) have received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine while 336,001 people have received Moderna.
S.C. House holds brief hearing on expanding voting. A bill that would greatly expand voting through no-excuse absentee ballots and eliminating witnesses for votes cast by mail got a hearing in the Republican-dominated Legislature Thursday. More: AP News
S.C. Dems face uphill climb against Tim Scott in 2022/ South Carolina Democrats’ first challenge in their attempts to oust U.S. Sen. Tim Scott will be convincing donors and voters not to give up on the Palmetto State after their big loss against Lindsey Graham in 2020.
More: The Post and Courier. S.C. Democratic Rep. Krystle Mathews of Ladson says she’s the one to beat Tim Scott in 2022. More: The State
S.C.’s Clyburn highlights infrastructure needs in state. In push for Biden’s American Jobs Plan, U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina has highlighted the infrastructure needs in the Palmetto State, including 12 percent of S.C. households with no access to broadband internet. More: WCBD. In related news, an analysis from a research company found that S.C. ranks 31st nationally in a federal program aimed at expanding broadband access in rural America. More: Columbia Business Report
S.C. looks to reform juvenile justice. The state’s juvenile justice system had a rough 2020 and now it is looking to reform in 2021. The S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice is starting a three-year partnership with the Center for Children’s Law and Policy, a national juvenile justice reform group. More: The Post and Courier
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!
I guess James Clyburn is preparing for his re-election. He’s talking about his 40 year old campaign issue, infrastructure. Next comes schools, and jobs. Then wait for two more years for him to bring it up again.
The democrats have redefined the term “infrastructure” so that it appears they are helping their constituents and not themselves.