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Senate approves school choice measure after hours of debate; third reading passes 31-9
Summary
The South Carolina Senate passed S.62 on third reading after extended debate over funding, equity and impacts on public schools. The vote was 31-9. Supporters said the bill restores scholarships and expands choice; opponents warned of budget pressure on lottery-funded scholarships and harm to public education.
The South Carolina Senate on third reading approved S.62, a school choice bill intended to restore and expand scholarship funding for K–12 students, by a roll-call vote of 31 to 9.
Senator from Berkeley (Sen. Grooms) opened debate on the floor, telling colleagues, “we are now at the third reading of the legislation to fix our school choice program,” and framing the bill as a repair measure to ensure students who previously lost scholarships receive promised funds.
The debate centered on two lines of argument. Supporters said the bill remedies an…
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