South Carolina
Wave of transgender health care bans has roots in past debates
In the past two years, 19 states have banned or restricted gender-affirming care for minors, and another 12 states are considering it — a tidal wave of policy change that has emboldened many Republicans on the far right while terrifying transgender youth and their families. Gender-affirming care for transgender patients can cover pediatrics, psychiatry and […]
‘Green Banks,’ Poised for Billions in Climate Funds, Draw States’ Attention
In recent years, several states have created or helped to fund specialized banks that lend money to homeowners and businesses for energy-saving and climate projects. Now, states have billions more reasons to establish such institutions, known as green banks. Congress last year approved a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund of $27 billion, largely to pour money […]
As Overdose Deaths Rise, Few Emergency Rooms Offer Addiction Help
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Even in this easygoing, subtropical city, the onset of winter and the stress of the holidays can test the mettle of anyone trying to quit opioids. “As soon as temperatures start to drop and it gets chilly in the mornings, we see more people coming into the emergency department looking for […]
College Students Push to Ease Voting Access After Midterm Barriers
Young voters made their voices heard during the midterms last week, turning out in relatively high numbers in an election that produced the first congressperson from Generation Z. But university students and voting rights advocates say voters on college campuses faced far too many difficulties trying to cast their ballots. Across the country, voting rights […]
Prison Staff Shortages Take Toll on Guards, Incarcerated People
HOUSTON — The pay is rising — but so are average temperatures, and because many of the workplaces are not air-conditioned, toiling for this employer often means broiling in the Texas heat. The job is stable and recession-proof but also potentially dangerous, with an ever-present threat of violence. There are drawbacks to being a prison […]
More States Back Offshore Wind, Citing Economic Potential
Many states are looking to offshore wind as a key source of clean energy that’s essential in their fight against climate change. Other states are just looking to cash in. “States and regions that invest in offshore wind are going to benefit greatly economically,” said South Carolina state Rep. Jason Elliott, a Republican. “If South […]
Cyber Insurance Price Hike Hits Local Governments Hard
Horry County, South Carolina, officials were in for a shock earlier this year, when they discovered their cyber insurance premium would be spiking from $70,000 last year to about ,000. And if they couldn’t satisfy the insurance company’s requirements and prove they had the robust controls needed to protect and defend themselves against cyberattacks, they […]
As Drugmakers Cut Off Discounts, Providers Fret for Low-Income Patients
This story has been updated to correct both the extent of actions by drug manufacturers in the 340B program and the dollar amount of sales the program has produced. Hospitals and community and rural health clinics that serve low-income patients say drug manufacturers have threatened their financial stability by dramatically cutting back their participation in a […]
South Carolina Enacts Law Allowing Pharmacists to Prescribe Birth Control
South Carolina this week joined 15 other states and the District of Columbia in enacting a law that allows pharmacists to prescribe birth control pills without a doctor’s visit. Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who earlier this month said he would support a complete ban on all abortions with no exceptions if the U.S. Supreme Court […]
After Leaked Roe Ruling, GOP Weighs Stricter Abortion Bans
If, as expected, the U.S. Supreme Court decides as early as next month to overturn Roe v. Wade, just how quickly Republican-dominated legislatures will act to restrict abortion and how far they will go to eliminate the procedure is uncertain. But recent rhetoric from state officials and events in state capitols offer some clues. GOP […]
Parents Say Mask-Optional Policies Leave Out High-Risk Students
Read more Stateline coverage of how schools are affected by and responding to COVID-19. Editor’s Note: The story has been updated to correct Amanda McDougald Scott’s name. After South Carolina banned schools last spring from mandating masks, Amanda McDougald Scott removed her immunocompromised 5-year-old son from the Greenville County School District and enrolled him in a private […]
The Pandemic Prompted People to Move, But Many Didn’t Go Far
The annual Halloween party last year was a revelation for locals in Orcas Island, Washington, a scenic rural spot 100 miles north of Seattle. “For the first time in the 10 years we’ve lived here, we didn’t recognize about two-thirds of the families,” said Edee Kulper, a photographer who blogs about life on the island. […]