H*3905(Rat #0319, Act #0275 of 2014)  General Bill, By Loftis, H.A. Crawford, 
Brannon, Daning, Crosby, Munnerlyn, J.R. Smith, Burns, Dillard, V.S. Moss, Pope, 
Powers Norrell, Ridgeway, Rivers, Simrill, Toole, Wood, W.J. McLeod and 
Cobb-Hunter
 AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO ENACT THE
 "BACK TO BASICS IN EDUCATION ACT OF 2014" BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-15 SO AS TO
 REQUIRE CURSIVE WRITING AND MEMORIZATION OF MULTIPLICATION TABLES AS SUBJECTS
 OF INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TO REQUIRE STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE COMPETENCE
 IN EACH SUBJECT BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE FIFTH GRADE, TO PROVIDE THE STATE
 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL ASSIST THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN IDENTIFYING THE
 MOST APPROPRIATE MEANS FOR INTEGRATING THIS REQUIREMENT INTO THEIR EXISTING
 CURRICULUMS AND RECOMMEND CURSIVE WRITING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR
 INCLUSION ON THE APPROVED STATE TEXTBOOK ADOPTION LIST, AND TO MAKE THE
 PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT APPLICABLE BEGINNING WITH THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR. -
 ratified title

   04/09/13  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 52)
   04/09/13  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 52)
   03/19/14  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: W.J.McLeod
   04/01/14  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cobb-Hunter
   04/02/14  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 108)
   04/10/14  House  Requests for debate-Rep(s). Anthony, KR Crawford,
                     Clyburn, Hayes, Vick, Merrill, Tallon, Gilliard,
                     Robinson-Simpson (House Journal-page 42)
   04/10/14  House  Requests for debate removed-Rep(s). Anthony, KR
                     Crawford, Tallon, Robinson-Simpson, Hayes,
                     Clyburn, Merrill (House Journal-page 105)
   04/10/14  House  Amended (House Journal-page 105)
   04/10/14  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 105)
   04/10/14  House  Roll call Yeas-92  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 107)
   04/10/14  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day (House Journal-page 108)
   04/11/14  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 3)
   04/15/14  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 11)
   04/15/14  Senate Referred to Committee on Education
                     (Senate Journal-page 11)
   05/29/14  Senate Committee report: Majority favorable with amend.,
                     minority unfavorable Education
                     (Senate Journal-page 43)
   06/04/14  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 27)
   06/04/14  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 27)
   06/04/14  Senate Roll call Ayes-40  Nays-1 (Senate Journal-page 27)
   06/05/14  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments (Senate Journal-page 24)
   06/05/14  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
                     (House Journal-page 116)
   06/05/14  House  Roll call Yeas-92  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 116)
   06/09/14         Ratified R 319
   06/09/14         Signed By Governor
   06/13/14         Effective date See Act for Effective Date
   06/26/14         Act No. 275

H. 3905

(A275, R319, H3905)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO ENACT THE "BACK TO BASICS IN EDUCATION ACT OF 2014" BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-15 SO AS TO REQUIRE CURSIVE WRITING AND MEMORIZATION OF MULTIPLICATION TABLES AS SUBJECTS OF INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TO REQUIRE STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE COMPETENCE IN EACH SUBJECT BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE FIFTH GRADE, TO PROVIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL ASSIST THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN IDENTIFYING THE MOST APPROPRIATE MEANS FOR INTEGRATING THIS REQUIREMENT INTO THEIR EXISTING CURRICULUMS AND RECOMMEND CURSIVE WRITING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR INCLUSION ON THE APPROVED STATE TEXTBOOK ADOPTION LIST, AND TO MAKE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT APPLICABLE BEGINNING WITH THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR.

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

Back to Basics Education Act of 2014

SECTION    1.    This act must be known and may be cited as the "Back to Basics in Education Act of 2014".

Teaching cursive writing and multiplication tables required, Department of Education obligations

SECTION    2.    Article 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-29-15.    (A)    In addition to the requirements that writing and arithmetic be subjects of instruction in each school district pursuant to Section 59-29-10, each school district shall:

(1)    provide instruction in cursive writing to ensure that students can create readable documents through legible cursive handwriting by the end of fifth grade; and

(2)    require students to memorize multiplication tables to ensure that students can effectively multiply numbers by the end of fifth grade.

(B)    The State Department of Education shall assist the school districts in identifying the most appropriate means for integrating this requirement into their existing curriculums. Additionally, the department, using procedures followed for other textbook adoptions, shall review and recommend cursive writing instructional materials for inclusion on the approved state textbook adoption list. Schools may select these materials in the same manner that other textbooks are selected from the list."

Time effective

SECTION    3.    The provisions of this section take effect upon approval by the Governor, and are applicable beginning with the 2015-2016 academic year.

Ratified the 9th day of June, 2014.

Approved the 9th day of June, 2014.