S 0209 General Bill, By F. Gilbert
    A Bill to provide for the "Parental Responsibilities Act"; to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section 59-17-130 so as to provide for parental involvement in their childrens' education, provide for assistance to at-risk children, and define parental responsibility; to amend the 1976 Code by adding Section 59-26-80 so as to provide for the Department of Education to develop or select in-service training programs for work with at-risk youth and their parents; to amend the 1976 Code by adding Section 59-26-90 so as to require regulations to provide for the primary employment of school guidance counselors; to amend Section 20-7-20, relating to the establishment of a children's policy, so as to provide for the State's interest in ensuring that children receive an education and for state and county officials' jurisdictional authority; to amend Section 43-5-550, relating to the Department of Social Services Work Support Delivery System and Business and Industrial Advisory Committee, so as to provide the required components for aid to families with dependent children recipients with employment plans; to amend Section 59-26-20, relating to the duties of the State Board of Education, so as to require the adoption of program approval standards that include training in working with at-risk youth and their parents; to amend Section 59-65-20, relating to the penalty for failure to enroll a child in school, so as to delete the application of the Section to a parent or guardian who refuses to make his child or ward attend school; to amend Section 59-65-50, relating to reports of school nonattendance to a court, so as to provide for notification to parents and guardians of the consequences for nonattendance, revise the reporting requirements for unlawful absences, provide for the requirements when a child exhibiting truant behavior is transferred to another school district, and provide the school board of trustees' requirements; to amend Section 59-65-60, relating to the procedure when a court receives a report of school nonattendance, so as to require instead of authorize the appearance of the responsible parent or guardian, authorize the court to direct the Department of Social Services or the Department of Youth Services to conduct an investigation and make recommendations, require instead of authorize the court after hearing to order a child to attend school upon forty-eight hours instead of ten days notice, revise the penalty when a parent or guardian fails to comply with the order, provide the circumstances under which a parent or guardian is excused from the monetary penalty, provide for the requirements of the attendance hearing when a minor is found to be a habitual or chronic truant, and when the court finds that the parent or guardian has not made a bona fide and diligent effort to keep the child in school; and to provide that this Act does not alter, amend, or repeal the provisions of the 1976 Code relating to the exceptions to compulsory attendance laws and home schooling programs.
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09/24/90	Senate	Prefiled
09/24/90	Senate	Referred to Committee on Education
01/08/91	Senate	Introduced and read first time SJ-79
01/08/91	Senate	Referred to Committee on Education SJ-79