TAX CREDIT BACKERS WOO FENCE-SITTERS

Some S.C. lawmakers who attended a Wednesday meeting with supporters of a school voucher program in Milwaukee said they like the idea of trying a similar program here, but they questioned whether it can work in South Carolina.

Many lawmakers have concerns about the bill in the S.C. House, which would give tax breaks to parents who want to send their children to private school or another public school.

Backers of the bill brought in a Wisconsin state lawmaker to field questions about the Milwaukee program, which allows poor children to attend private school with tax dollars that would have gone to public school.

Test scores have improved, the public schools have more money, and “perhaps most importantly children’s lives have been transformed,” said Rep. Scott Jensen of Wisconsin’s state Assembly. But several S.C. lawmakers said they still wonder whether the city’s program can work in a rural state.

SCHOOL FUNDING

The House approved a bill Wednesday that its backers say will give local school districts more flexibility in handling education funds.

Under the measure, state revenue sources for education from kindergarten through high school would be consolidated into six categories. Local districts would have the flexibility within those six categories to determine how best to use those resources, the bill’s sponsors say.

The categories are defined as “quality teaching, instruction, technical assistance, operations, infrastructure and safety’ work force education, and special needs.”

LIMITING LAWSUITS

The Senate began debate Wednesday on a bill that would limit lawsuits brought against S.C. doctors and health care providers. The biggest issue in the legislation involves a $250,000 cap on pain and suffering and other noneconomic damages in lawsuits.

Supporters and opponents disagree on how much of a crisis South Carolina’s medical care providers face.

After more than four hours of debate, senators had not taken a vote on any proposed amendments and adjourned.

AGING PROGRAMS

The Division on Aging would remain in the lieutenant governor’s office under a bill approved by the Senate General Committee on Wednesday. A temporary provision in the 2004-05 state budget put the division under the lieutenant governor’s office.

RED-LIGHT CAMERAS

South Carolina cities would be able to use cameras to catch people running red lights under a bill that cleared a Senate Transportation subcommittee Wednesday. Tickets resulting from the use of cameras would be civil citations, not misdemeanors, and they wouldn’t go on driving records and couldn’t be used in court.

STUDENT HEALTH

Schools would not be allowed to stock vending machines with candy and soda under a bill introduced Wednesday by Rep. Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston. It also would increase the mandatory amount of time students spend in physical education classes.

EVOLUTION STUDY

A Senate subcommittee dropped language from a school book bill Wednesday that called for a committee to determine whether alternatives to evolution should be taught in schools. The bill now heads to the full Education Committee.

SCHOOL BULLIES

The education subcommittee also approved an anti-bullying bill. It adopted an amendment that defines bullying as ranging from harassment to physical or emotional harm.

NAMING HIGHWAYS

A bill that would bar naming certain roads and highways after a living person was sent back to subcommittee Wednesday after members of the House Education and Public Works Committee objected to tying the hands of local officials with such a ban.

— The Associated Press