H*3055(Rat #0418, Act #0344 of 1996)  General Bill, By Kirsh, Allison, 
J.M. Baxley, Lloyd, Simrill and Whipper
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 59-17-120 so as to authorize the board of trustees of a school district to
 grant credit as an elective for a course in American Sign Language; and to
 provide that the State Board of Education shall establish certain guidelines
 in regard to this course, and shall also establish a task force for this
 purpose.-amended title

   12/14/94  House  Prefiled
   12/14/94  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/10/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-22
   01/10/95  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-22
   02/01/95  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education and Public Works HJ-5
   02/02/95  House  Amended HJ-43
   02/02/95  House  Read second time HJ-43
   02/02/95  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day HJ-43
   02/03/95  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-2
   02/07/95  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-17
   02/07/95  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-17
   04/23/96  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education SJ-33
   05/07/96  Senate Amended SJ-8
   05/07/96  Senate Read second time SJ-10
   05/07/96  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-10
   05/09/96  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-53
   05/15/96  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-44
   05/23/96         Ratified R 418
   05/29/96         Signed By Governor
   05/29/96         Effective date 05/29/96
   06/06/96         Copies available
   06/06/96         Act No. 344

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-17-120 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GRANT CREDIT AS AN ELECTIVE FOR A COURSE IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL ESTABLISH CERTAIN GUIDELINES IN REGARD TO THIS COURSE, AND SHALL ALSO ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

American Sign Language course

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-17-120. (A) The board of trustees of a school district may grant credit as an elective to a pupil who satisfactorily has completed a high school course in American Sign Language.

(B) The State Board of Education shall establish guidelines on the qualifications needed for those teaching an American Sign Language course and on a recommended course of study to be followed.

(C) The State Board of Education shall establish a task force to assist in the development of the guidelines pursuant to this section. The task force shall consist of nine members as follows:

(1) The President of the South Carolina Association of the Deaf, or his designee;

(2) A parent of a deaf child in a mainstreamed program;

(3) A parent of a deaf child in a residential program who is currently enrolled at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind;

(4) A representative from the foreign language department of a college or university in South Carolina;

(5) The Director of the Interpreter Training Program of Spartanburg Technical College, or his designee;

(6) A representative from the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind;

(7) Two instructors of American Sign Language, one of whom must be deaf;

(8) A representative from the State Department of Education.

The task force shall be established within three months of the effective date of this act and shall terminate upon completion of the guidelines. The State Department of Education shall provide the necessary administrative and research support for the task force. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 29th day of May, 1996.