South Carolina House votes to expand voucher program. It’s fate in Senate is less clear

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republicans in the South Carolina House gave key approval Wednesday to a bill expanding a program allowing parents to spend taxpayer money on private and home-school education even as a pilot plan is just starting and the state’s highest court is considering whether it is legal.

After the 69-32 vote, the bill faces one more routine approval before heading to the Senate, where leadership has been more dubious about going ahead with the court case hanging over the education voucher program. But Senate leadership hasn’t shut the door on expansion.

The opposition was almost entirely Democrats, joined by two Republicans.

“I might plant a few acres of something to see how it’s going to work. But I don’t think I want to go and experiment with my entire operation and not know what the results might be,” said Democratic Rep. Russell Ott, whose family owns a farm in St. Matthews.

The General Assembly passed what it calls the education scholarship trust fund program last year with a cap of $6,000 for 5,000 students. The money can go toward tuition, transportation, supplies or technology at either private schools or public schools outside a student’s district.

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