CHARTER SCHOOL BILL HEADS TO HOUSE

A bill that would create a statewide school district to oversee the creation and supervision of new charter schools received an endorsement Tuesday from the House education committee.

The panel’s action sends the school-choice proposal, which is backed by Gov. Mark Sanford, to the full House for a likely vote next week.

The version approved Tuesday includes two key provisions designed to overcome objections raised a week ago: Private schools looking to convert into charter schools to qualify for government aid must dissolve for a year, and oversight of the new district would initially be the governor’s responsibility but shift to the state Department of Education in 2010.

A financial impact study of the bill, should it become law, projects the new district would require $566,000 initially in new funding from the Legislature to begin operations. Charter schools are public schools exempt from most state regulations; they are expected to use innovative teaching techniques and philosophies.

NAMING STATE ROADS

House Speaker David Wilkins introduced a bill Tuesday that would prohibit naming S.C. roads for people who are still living.

“Only after a proper amount of time following one’s passing can their contributions and life’s legacy be legitimately evaluated,” said Wilkins, R-Greenville.

The long-standing practice has been questioned in the past, but criticism came to a head last year when former South Carolina Comptroller General Earle Morris was convicted of 22 counts of securities fraud. State Highway 153 in Anderson and Pickens counties — home to many of the people defrauded by Morris’ failed Carolina Investors — is named Earle Morris Highway.

ACCESS TO DOCTORS’ RECORDS URGED

Media representatives testified Tuesday in support of an amendment that would require doctors’ disciplinary records to be available to the public.

S.C. Press Association executive director Bill Rogers and The (Hilton Head) Island Packet executive editor Fitz McAden spoke to a House subcommittee about their proposal.

The House Medical Occupational Regulation and Licensing Boards subcommittee approved a bill that would provide for two additional lay members of the state Board of Medical Examiners. The amendment was not included in that bill. Rogers said he would continue to work with lawmakers and members of the board on an amendment.

McAden said his newspaper has been denied access to records regarding a cardiologist who was suspended by the Hilton Head Regional Medical Center.

HOUSE APPROVES ‘JOBS CREATION ACT’

Small businesses have a better chance to get a tax break if they hire more workers under legislation that cleared the House on Tuesday.

— Complete story, B6

Bill Robinson and The Associated Press contributed.