By james art 
Columbia, SC (WRDW/WAGT) – the rate of restoration of the South Carolina Private School Vouchers program has just cleared a large obstacle in the State House.
Senators approved a new bill on Thursday night – just a few months after the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that such a plan was unconstitutional.
The senators voted almost completely on the party lines to approve the bill after two weeks of debate.
By voting from 32-12, Bill 62 per Senate 62 received second reading.
The bill will abandon up to 15,000 K-12 years of state money for the use of certain approved costs, including training for private schools.
Last year, the Supreme Court of the State found that the type of cost – financed with dollars of taxpayers in the general state fund – violated the Constitution of South Carolina.
Thus, the Senate Republicans are trying to circumvent this decision by financing this program – with lottery revenue.
“We have to do something to ensure that parents have opportunities for their children,” says Senator Josh Kimbrell, R-Spartanburg.
According to the bill, the amount of student scholarships will vary from year to year-on to the basis of the average funding for a student, which public schools received from the state the previous year-about $ 7,500 this year.
In full execution, students will be eligible if their family’s income was less than 400% of the federal poverty line – about $ 125,000 per family of four.
Senators are decreasing from the initial offer of 600% – nearly $ 200,000 per family of four.
All Democrats voted against the bill – justifying the millions of dollars that will be allocated to train private schools – can be better used to improve public schools.
“We could take the way using this type of funding to build schools throughout the country,” said Senator Ronnie Sab, D-Williamsburg.
After a final vote here in the Senate next Tuesday – this bill will move to the House of Representatives.
While Republicans in the Chamber are in support of the program-leaders said they were not on board with the idea of financing the lottery.
The bill is also a major priority this year for governor Henry McMaster.
He urged the legislators to receive it as soon as possible.
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