STATEHOUSE REPORT | ISSUE 23.03 | Jan. 19, 2024
BIG STORY: S.C. House passes youth restrictions on gender-affirming care
MORE NEWS: McMaster to deliver State of the State on Wednesday
LOWCOUNTRY, Ariail: Gone to POT
COMMENTARY, Brack: Start making progress on Palmetto Priorities
SPOTLIGHT: The S.C. Education Association
MYSTERY PHOTO: Storage?
FEEDBACK: Sickle cell disease is no laughing matter
S.C. House passes youth restrictions on gender-affirming care
Staff reports | The S.C. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a controversial ban on gender-affirming care for kids and teens in South Carolina after a six-hour debate. The 82-23 vote split largely along party lines in favor of the restrictions.
The bill (H. 4624), which conservatives claim would “help not harm” youths, would bar health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty-blocking drugs and overseeing hormone treatments for patients younger than 18 years. Additionally, people under 26 could not use Medicaid to cover the costs for such care and school employees could not withhold knowledge of a student’s transgender identity from their legal guardians.
“This bill is central to our mission to safeguard minors from irreversible gender transition procedures, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries,” S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, wrote to constituents after the bill passed. “These procedures can have life-altering effects, including risks of sterility and well-documented mental health issues.”
Institutional discrimination?
But state Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Colleton, said the bill seemed to be institutionalized discrimination.
“My initial thoughts were that this bill is another example of the MAGA/GOP wasting critical legislative time on a non-issue,” she told Statehouse Report. “When we should be tackling more important educational, infrastructure, insurance and budget issues, the so-called ‘less government control party’ is taking more liberties by forcing ‘big government’ on our families.
“This bill is akin to the outlandish ‘separate bathroom’ bills that have come out of that chamber. What’s next ‘tar and feather’ the LGBTQ?”
Chase Glenn, executive director of the Alliance for Full Acceptance in Charleston, added the measure was a cruel bill that targeted innocent children.
“The bill wasn’t even penned by South Carolina legislators, but rather written by a special interest hate group (Alliance Defending Freedom) that has made it their business to peddle this bill and other types of anti-LGBTQ legislation to receptive state lawmakers across the country,” Glenn said. “Why? Because they are using the trans kids as pawns in their political games.
“If they truly cared for children, they would not waste time and resources on fabricated issues, when there are many more pressing priorities that could directly impact the over one-million children in South Carolina.”
On Wednesday, ACLU-SC Executive Director Jace Woodrum criticized the House for passing the bill.
“They ignored doctors, mental health professionals and parents — and decided that they know best,” he said.
Last week according to a story on South Carolina Public Radio, doctors and parents told lawmakers about the benefits of treatments for transgender youth. They said research showed transgender youth and adults were prone to stress, depression and suicidal behavior when forced to live as the sex they were assigned at birth.
Glenn added that a 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed youth who received gender-affirming care for a year – including puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones – saw significant reductions in depression and suicidal behavior after care.
“The sponsors of this bill claim that gender-affirming care is causing harm to children, when it is in fact these very legislators who are perpetrating the harm by removing a parents’ rights to seek this medically necessary care for their child,” Glenn said. “If this bill is signed into law, there will be grave consequences.”
The House bill has been assigned to the Senate Medical Affairs Committee for consideration.
- Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
McMaster to deliver State of the State on Wednesday
Staff reports | S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster will deliver the annual State of the State address 7 p.m. Wednesday at the state capitol.
It is expected to tap many of the themes outlined in his recent 2024-25 executive budget proposal, including:
- $500 million in surplus funds for replacement and repairs to some of the state’s almost 9,000 bridges.
- $386 million for education to raise teacher pay, expand full-day kindergarten and boost spending on classroom materials.
- $133 million for the state health plan, and employee recruitment and retention.
- $100 million for need-based college financial aid.
- $99 million for an additional income tax cut to drop the top rate to 6.3%.
- $95 million for Workforce Industry Needs Scholarships
- $54.3 million for the state’s rainy day fund for unanticipated costs.
- $50 million to freeze college tuition for in-state students.
You can watch the address live through SCETV.
Also in recent headlines:
Haley heads to N.H. after Iowa. Former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, who many thought would edge Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place in Monday night’s Iowa caucuses, got 19% of the vote, compared to DeSantis’s 21%. But next week in New Hampshire’s primary, DeSantis has all but bowed out as he spent months campaigning in Iowa. The big question now is how Haley will do in New Hampshire compared to frontrunner Donald Trump, who still leads in polling. But Haley’s appeal to Democrats and Independents in the “Live Free or Die” state seems to be making the race more competitive than expected.
New bill proposes merger of 6 S.C. health agencies. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is already planned to split into two new agencies over public health and environmental services in the summer. But now, lawmakers are pushing to merge the six separate state health agencies into one, forming the “Executive Office of Health and Policy.”
S.C. Senate passes bill to stop pension fund from investing in ‘woke’ causes. The S.C. Senate unanimously passed a pair of bills Wednesday covering state pension funds and investment in liberal causes that critics now find acceptable since amendments had assuaged their concerns.
New Sunday liquor bill sales could boost sales for N. Charleston distilleries. The new bill proposes Sunday liquor sales via referendums in counties and municipalities. It would also allow micro-distilleries, which are defined in the bill as manufacturers that ferment and distill on-site, to sell liquor on Sundays without needing to pass a referendum.
State officials push to have Juneteenth established as a state holiday. Juneteenth is already a federal holiday in the United States and commemorates the end of slavery. Lawmakers say making it a state holiday will help memorialize and teach history.
S.C. lawmaker pushes to remove marijuana odor as probable cause. The second annual “S.C. Cannabis Supporters United” rally was a push for what supporters called “sensible decriminalization” of marijuana, according to Bob Chapman, executive director of the S.C. Cannabis Coalition. S.C. Sen. Deon Tedder, D-Charleston showed support with a referral to the Senate Committee on Judiciary on Jan. 9 to remove marijuana odor as a probable cause.
Hall to retire; Powell to take over S.C. Transportation Department. S.C. Transportation Secretary Christy Hall will retire after nearly 30 years with the state’s Department of Transportation after serving 10 years since her appointment by then-governor Nikki Haley. On Thursday, the S.C. Transportation Commission appointed the agency’s chief operating officer, Justin Powell, as new transportation secretary.
Gone to POT
Award-winning cartoonist Robert Ariail generally has a biting or funny comment about the great state of South Carolina in his weekly cartoon. This week, Ariail offers a take on how South Carolina Republicans have gone overboard in their support for former President Donald Trump.
- Love the cartoon? Hate it? What do you think: feedback@statehousereport.com.
Start making progress on Palmetto Priorities
By Andy Brack | Every year, we implore state lawmakers to make progress on 10 Palmetto Priorities – common-sense initiatives that will make life better for all South Carolinians.
But every year, they devolve into culture wars and conservative talking points rather than looking at the broad view. Still, we’re keeping at it to again suggest that lawmakers look beyond party and culture to attain gains, at a minimum, in these five areas:
EDUCATION: Cut the state’s dropout rate in half by 2030. The best way to do this is to make sure teachers are paid better. To its credit, the legislature has given pay raises to teachers in recent years, but it needs to do more. We encourage the legislature to follow GOP Gov. Henry McMaster’s leadership in his 2024-25 executive budget. He calls for a starting teacher salary of $45,000 – almost one-third more than starting teachers made a few years back. “My goal by 2026 is a minimum starting salary of at least $50,000.” He added that a consolidated funding system supported “a state average student-teacher ratio of 11.4 students per teacher with an average teacher salary including fringe benefits of $79,536.” Lawmakers should note, however, that they also need to increase pay for school support staff.
GUN REFORM: Close the “Charleston loophole.” The whole state has been waiting since the tragic 2015 deaths at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston for legislators to do their job to make reasonable gun reform. They must extend the waiting period for purchasing a gun to at least five days to allow federal examiners more time for background checks. Failure to act over the last eight years is just plain embarrassing. It’s time to get this job done to help reduce gun violence that is killing almost 1,000 South Carolinians a year. Liberal gun laws are one reason why the state has the sixth-highest rate of gun violence in the nation.
POVERTY: Develop a broad-based anti-poverty agenda. Let’s look at budgets in new ways to fund priorities based on reducing endemic poverty in South Carolina, with strategies that include developing more jobs, applying more workforce training, improving education and making health care more accessible. One in five South Carolinians lives in poverty. We can do better by them.
TAX REFORM: Overhaul and stabilize the state’s antiquated tax structure. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if South Carolina modernized its tax structure so sales taxes could go down, use taxes could be broadened and hundreds of millions of dollars of lost taxes due to special-interest sales tax exemptions were eliminated? Lawmakers should stop being scared of broadening the base and lowering rates. That’s fairer for everyone.
POLITICS: One party rule doesn’t foster innovation. We need a rigorous two- or multi-party political system of governance. How do you get that? By abandoning narcissistic gerrymandering and drawing political districts based on fairness, not politics. Anytime the politicians are in charge of the lines, there are shenanigans. And because line-drawing also creates headaches for them, they should appoint an independent state redistricting commission as several states already have to take the politics out of drawing lines. One more thing: It wouldn’t hurt to pass instant-runoff voting to take some of the expense out of elections, too.
There are other priorities, too, that lawmakers should look at:
- Add a cabinet-level post to focus on creating 10,000 small-business jobs per year.
- Ensure affordable and accessible health care that optimizes preventive care.
- Adopt a real state energy policy that requires more renewable sources of energy.
- Cut the prison population in half – and help jails become safer.
- Fix our roads more quickly by investing more in their repair and maintenance.
Our legislators should think broader and act bigger so that next year we will have something to celebrate.
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report and the Charleston City Paper. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
The S.C. Education Association
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring Statehouse Report to you at no cost. This week’s spotlighted underwriter is The South Carolina Education Association(The SCEA), the professional association for educators in South Carolina. Educators from pre-K to 12th grade comprise The SCEA. The SCEA is the leading advocate for educational change in South Carolina. Educators in South Carolina look to The SCEA for assistance in every aspect of their professional life. From career planning as a student to retirement assessment as a career teacher, The SCEA offers assistance, guidance, and inspiration for educators.
- Learn more: TheSCEA.org
Storage?
We’re assuming that the small outhouse-looking buildings at the back of this old house are actually some kind of storage units. If you know what they are, let us know. And send us your guess of where this photo is – as well as your name and hometown – to feedback@statehousereport.com.
Last week’s mystery photo, “In the news” shows an old rear view of the Nathaniel Russell House in Charleston, which has been in the news because its owner, Historic Charleston Foundation, recently reversed a decision to sell it.
“The Nathaniel Russell House, built in 1808, is one of the finest Neo-Classical houses still standing in America,” Elizabeth Jones of Columbia wrote. .
Other alert readers identified the photo, including Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas; Jay Altman of Columbia; Bill Segars and Ladonta Evans, both of Hartsville; Robert Ariail of Camden; Frank Bouknight of Summerville; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; Will Williams of Aiken; Nancy Trapp of Augusta, Ga.; Jessica Woodford of St. Matthews; Art DeGiovine, David Lupo and Jenny Schwab, both of Mount Pleasant; Cheryl Schoettner of Moncks Corner; Stephanie Harris of Statesville, N.C.; Frances Ford of Charleston; and Pat Keadle of Wagener.
- Send us a mystery picture. If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Sickle cell disease is no laughing matter
To the editor:
Recently (Dec. 16), a skit aired on Saturday Night Live (SNL) that depicted sickle cell disease (SCD). As one of the foremost and long-running progressive comedy shows in history, well-known for its impressive and diverse cast, we assume that SNL’s intent was to bring greater public awareness of this disease. And it is very true that SCD, a severe and chronic illness first recognized in 1910, has long been downplayed in the media.
However, SDC, which predominantly affects people of color, should never be the subject of mockery or disrespect. The skit was not amusing, coming off as distasteful to most Americans as well as obviously insensitive to the minority community.
South Carolina, like many other states with large non-white populations, has a significant number of citizens affected by sickle cell disease. In South Carolina alone, there are 4,000 residents suffering with this inherited disease. According to the American Society of Hematology, “People living with sickle cell disease face significant medical and social challenges, including health disparities and lack of access to clinicians who have strong disease expertise.” There has been a lack of national emphasis on curing this disease versus others which are prevalent in the non-minority community.
The recent SNL skit portrayed sickle cell disease in a manner that trivialized the struggles faced by individuals living with this condition. Such mockery not only perpetuates harmful stereotypes but also undermines the experiences of those affected by sickle cell disease. It is imperative that we use platforms like SNL to educate and raise awareness about this condition, rather than perpetuating harmful stereotypes. By doing so, we can promote understanding, support and access to proper health care for those affected by SCD.
– Rhonda Young, Spartanburg, S.C., and Jack Bernard, Peachtree City, Ga.
Send us your thoughts
We encourage you to send in your thoughts about policy and politics impacting South Carolina. We’ve gotten some letters in the last few weeks – some positive, others nasty. We print non-defamatory comments, but unless you provide your contact information – name and hometown, plus a phone number used only by us for verification – we can’t publish your thoughts.
- Have a comment? Send your letters or comments to: feedback@statehousereport.com. Make sure to provide your contact details (name, hometown and phone number for verification. Letters are limited to 150 words.
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