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Columbia, SC Public Hearing for Dominion’s Proposed Rate Hike: May 12

May 1, 2026

Dominion Energy wants to raise utility rates. They have requested a rate increase from the Public Services Commission (PSC). The PSC is doing public hearings to hear from you. Several hearings have already taken place. There will be one central one in Columbia on May 12. Below is information on what is going on with…

How to Protect Yourself from Healthcare Insurance Scams in 2026

April 7, 2026

By Misa Bailey, Healthcare Project Manager at SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center If you are no longer shopping on the Marketplace or you cannot afford the plan that you had in 2025, you may be feeling overwhelmed by potential options. Maybe you’ve looked at prices and thought, I can’t afford this. Do I have to…

Changes to SNAP Benefits (Presentation)

December 18, 2025

Presentation By Anjani Moro, Special Projects Coordinator and Sue Berkowitz, Founder/Director of Policy About the Presentation Recently our team conducted a presentation on the changes to SNAP benefits due to HR1 and other actions this past year from the current administration. We discuss all of the changes and how you can prepare. Below we also…

Why Suspensions are Not the Answer (Especially in Preschool)

November 24, 2025

By Jennifer Rainville, Education Policy Attorney at SC Appleseed About this blog: Education Policy Attorney Jennifer Rainville discusses why increasing suspension is not the best long-term solution to improving student outcomes and reducing in-class issues. Did you know that South Carolina not only leads the nation in preschool suspensions but also in the suspension of…

2026 ACA Open Enrollment: What’s Changing and How to Prepare

September 12, 2025

Written by Misa Bailey, Healthcare Program Manager at SC Appleseed Blog Summary: In this blog, we discuss the changes in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. The changes are from both the H.R.1 bill this summer and rule changes by announced by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Some of the rule changes will…

Breaking Down All of the Healthcare Changes for Immigrants in the US (2025-2028)

September 9, 2025

Written by Misa Bailey, Healthcare Program Manager at SC Appleseed Blog Summary: There are many recent and upcoming changes to immigrant health coverage. First, DACA recipients are losing Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace eligibility. There is also a major cut in who qualifies for Medicaid, Medicare, and premium tax credits (PTCs) under the ACA. By…

Changes to the Affordable Care Act Marketplace (ACA) Coming August 25, 2025

August 18, 2025

Written by Misa Bailey, Healthcare Program Manager at SC Appleseed Blog Summary: There are four changes to the ACA Marketplace happening on August 25, 2025, two permanent, and two temporary through the end of 2026. The changes include the need to pay past premiums to start a new policy, less time to handle income issues…

Public Comment at School Board Meetings: What to Know and How to Make an Impact

July 29, 2025

Written by Elizabeth Foster, Intern at SC Appleseed In our last blog post, SC Appleseed’s Education Policy Attorney Jennifer Rainville covered how to be in the know about your board’s meetings and policies. In this blog, SC Appleseed Intern Elizabeth Foster explains how to engage with members of your board through public comment. Public Comment,…

An Introduction to School Boards in South Carolina, and How You Can Get Involved

July 14, 2025

Written by Jennifer Rainville, Education Policy Attorney at SC Appleseed Things can be kind of overwhelming these days in the world of K-12 education. One question that I get asked a lot is how do I get engaged? What actions can I take to stand up for the things I care about and are important…