October 15, 2013: South Carolina Representative Jenny Horne was elected in 2008 to represent House District #94 (Dorchester and Charleston Counties). Currently in her third two-year term, she also has an employment and family law practice in Summerville. Representative Horne serves on a number of House Committees, is a Liberty Fellow, and has been named Legislator of the Year by several organizations.
A former Rotarian, Representative Horne kicked off her remarks with a nod to the Rotarian Service Above Self commitment. She feels her service has continued with her work in the State House. After acknowledging the many distractions that can bog down the legislative session, she stressed her particular focus on issues affecting senior citizens and children. Calling these groups our citizens with the least amount of power, Representative Horne discussed several key initiatives.
Education Funding Reform – A proponent of equalizing per capita funding across school districts, Representative Horne encouraged changing the state’s 30-year old school funding formula to provide each child the same opportunities for success. Our schools should reflect the global marketplace that today’s graduates encounter, yet many schools still lack basic technology tools. She emphatically stated that the success of our education system is a critical labor supply issue for the business community.
Child Welfare – After queries stemming from constituent complaints regarding the Department of Social Services (DSS) went unanswered for a year, Representative Horne asked for an audit of DSS operations. She is concerned about a failure to act, overreach of control by the agency, and outsourcing of risk assessments. Essentially, she feels that DSS is not meeting what she considers one of the most basic functions of government, protecting our children.
Sex Education – Humorously introducing the subject by saying we learned in the 1960’s that “ ’just say no’ doesn’t work”, Representative Horne spoke about the public health and poverty impacts of teenage pregnancy and the bill she hopes to pass next year that will require a medically accurate focus in the sex education curriculum. She stressed that community health statistics improve with reductions in teen pregnancy. This is also an economic issue, as the current Medicaid cost for teen pregnancy is $200 million per year. She concluded that “knowledge is power” – data shows the more educated a young person is regarding sexual activity and its consequences, the less likely they are to display risky behavior.
Home Health Providers – Noting that in-home health care providers are the only health care service that is wholly unregulated, Representative Horne described a bill she has sponsored that would require licensure. They are currently not required to have workers compensation or liability insurance or to conduct background checks on employees. Speaking from personal experience, she urged the audience to only hire a licensed, bonded and insured caregiver, to protect your loved one and yourself.
Ethics Reform – Representative Horne briefly noted her service on the House Ethics Committee. She acknowledged that the proceedings are generally confidential but only until probable cause has been determined. She anticipates an ethics reform bill to be presented in the fall.
Audience questions continued the themes of teen pregnancy, public education, Medicaid and home health care. Representative Horne then gave a call to action for women to run for local or state elected office. She concluded with a proposal for a state Children’s Bureau and asked for suggestions from professionals working with children on how this should be structured.
Submitted by Tammy Coghill, Keyway Committee