Dating violence bill likely dead

House lawmakers have adjourned debate on a new teen dating violence policy that would have banned references to same sex couples.

That means the controversial bill doesn't have a chance of becoming law until next year. The bill would have required school districts to distribute written materials to parents and students about the dangers of teen dating violence.

A bill amendment would have required that only heterosexual couples be mentioned in the materials.

Report: $2 billion more needed to fix S.C. roads

While South Carolina has received $463 million in stimulus funds to improve its roads and bridges, nearly $2 billion more is needed annually during the next 20 years, according to a new report the S.C. Alliance to Fix Our Roads released Wednesday. The organization, along with the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, are calling on lawmakers to find additional money to improve the state's infrastructure to encourage economic development. According to the report:

• Nearly half, 48 percent, of the state's major urban roads are congested with travel delays. In Columbia, congestion is projected to double by 2030 if additional capacity is not added.
  
• Twenty eight percent of South Carolina's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition while 20 percent of bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
  
• The state's traffic fatality rate of 2.09 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel is the fourth highest in the nation and 54 percent higher than the national average.  "It's important that something happen soon," said Scott Fant, chairman of the S.C. Alliance to Fix Our Roads, noting  there's been no new state funding for roads since 1987. "We're losing our infrastructure."         

Advocates: Gays should be included in dating violence

Gay rights advocates called on senators Tuesday to strike down an amendment on a teen dating violence bill.

"Discriminating against children because of their sexual orientation, to me, is ridiculous," said Rep. Ken Kennedy, D-Williamsburg.

Last week, the House approved a bill requiring school districts to dispense information about the dangers of teen dating violence to students and their parents. An amendment by Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Calhoun, requires the information only reference heterosexual teen couples.

Teen dating bill passes without language on gays

House lawmakers have given key approval to a new teen dating violence policy that excludes references to gay relationships.
Thursday, in a 75 to 25 vote, the House approved a bill that will require the state's school districts to distribute information to parents and students about the dangers of abusive teen relationships. Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Chester, included an amendment that all written materials reference heterosexual relationships only. After one more perfunctory vote, the bill heads to the Senate.
Bill sponsor Rep. Joan Brady, R-Richland, said she's fine with the amendment to her bill because most dating violence occurs in girl-boy relationships. Gay rights advocates have disagreed and said same-sex couples should be included.
According to a 2007 state Department of Education survey, nearly 14 percent of S.C. students reported being “hit, slapped or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend” in the previous 12 months.

“I don’t want the Department of Education or school districts to teach children in grades six through 12 about (same-sex) relationships,” Delleney said.

Gay rights advocates say Delleney’s amendment is another attempt to ignore the gay and lesbian community.

“The fact that the state continually tries to find every way to ignore every other type of family ... it’s just outrageous,” said Ryan Wilson, president of the S.C. Pride Movement.

Later this month, Wilson’s organization will sponsor same-sex domestic violence training for social workers, caseworkers and others.

“It’s so important that we talk about this issue,” Wilson said. “It happens in (same-sex) couples at the same level as with heterosexual couples.”

Brady said its important to pass a bill.

“My intent is to make sure that every child is protected,” Brady said. “But the predominant occurrence of teen dating violence occurs in girl-boy relationships.”

Gay debate erupts over dating violence bill

House lawmakers disagree on whether homosexual students should be taught about the dangers of abusive relationships.

Wednesday, a bill to require the state Department of Education to train school personnel and students to recognize the signs of abusive dating relationships hit an unexpected roadblock.

Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Chester, offered up an amendment on the House floor to require that only heterosexual relationships be discussed in the training.

"I don't want the Department of Education or school districts to teach children in grades sixth through twelfth about (same sex) relationships," said Delleney.

Ford recalls school-choice bill

The S.C. Senate will not take up school choice bill that would award tax credits to parents who choose private schools.

Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, who sponsored the bill, sent a letter to the Senate Education Committee Wednesday morning asking the committee not to consider it.

The Committee was set to debate the bill today, when Sen. John Courson, R-Richland, disclosed the contents of Ford's simple, two-sentenced letter asking the Committee to send his bill back to an education subcommittee.

Two S.C. students among Presidential Scholars

A pair of Spartanburg High School students are among the 141 high school seniors to be named 2009 Presidential Scholars, according to a White House news release.

The students have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship and community service.

The South Carolina students are Bonnie Antosh and Andrew Henderson.

The students will be honored at a White House ceremony in late June.

Dozens turned away from school choice hearing

Dozens were turned away from lawmakers' first hearing of a school-choice bill that would give tax breaks to parents who choose to homeschool or send their children to private school.

Critics of the bill say it will strip public education of $150 million in funding before the first student leaves public schools. Supporters of the bill say it will give students trapped in failing public schools a way out and would, ultimately, save public schools hundreds of millions of dollars by reducing the number of students public schools educate.

Schools get relief from state lawmakers

House lawmakers have given approval to allowing schools districts flexibility in moving around pots of money, increasing class sizes and delaying some testing in order to deal with state budget cuts. After one more routine vote, the bill heads to the governor's desk. The changes apply to the remainder of this school year and next school year. It's the second victory for public education in as many day. Tuesdays, House lawmakers approved a Senate bill that gives districts an extra month to offer teachers contracts for next school year.

Child advocates press for election year change

A coalition of children's service groups urged voters to start forcing politicians to discuss child-related programs -- such as health insurance and after-school programs -- at a State House rally Tuesday.

Beaufort physician Francis Rushton, district chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said parents and voters need to press elected officials to expand health insurance programs for children, especially those living in poverty.