State health plan insurance rates set with latest SC House budget proposal

Those on the state health insurance program won’t see an increase in their premiums now that the South Carolina House has agreed with the Senate plan to fully cover the cost of the rate hikes for the upcoming budget year.

The House previously planned to cover only 85% of the increase, which would have led to an increase in rates. But the Senate wants to spend $106 million more a year on the health plan, to make sure those on the health plan don’t pay higher rates.

Now that the House is agreeing with the Senate plan, state employees and teachers who are on the state health plan won’t see an increase in their premiums for the 12th straight year.

House budget writers also opted to match money for school resource officers proposed by the Senate, which put in $21 million in annual money and $8.3 million in one-time money or school safety program to help ensure every school has a police officer on campus.

While the House finalized its version of the more than $14 billion general fund budget it will bring to negotiate with the Senate, much of Tuesday’s debate was on spending that wasn’t in the budget — member directed community investment projects or earmarks.

It led to dozens of proposed amendments for earmarks from state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, D-Richland, who took the opportunity to criticize Senate Finance Chairman Harvey Peeler for opting not to have earmarks in this year’s budget discussion.

House Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister agreed to the plan in order to allow committee staff to focus on income tax reform.

“Are we going to continue to let one man dictate what’s going to happen in the state?” Johnson said of Peeler.

Bannister, however, has said earmarks could be considered in next year’s budget.

“We are taking a one-year pause to consider better ways to do those community investment projects,” Bannister said.

Johnson repeatedly pointed to how Peeler secured money for construction of the Clemson Veterinary School in the last two budget cycles. More than $200 million has been allocated to Clemson for construction of the school, which will be named after Peeler.

Johnson proposed $500,000 for the Anne Frank House at the University of South Carolina, $213,000 for a children’s museum and $500,000 for a sickle cell program, among other proposals.

However, even though Republicans pushed to kill Johnson’s amendments to add individual earmarks, they acknowledged their districts are going without money for projects.

“There are a lot of us who are upset about what’s happening,” said state Rep. Kathy Landing, R-Charleston.

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