Current Status Bill Number:3466 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:19950202 Primary Sponsor:Fair All Sponsors:Fair, Kelley, Koon, Wofford and J. Young Drafted Document Number:bbm\9716sd.95 Residing Body:House Current Committee:Education and Public Works Committee 21 HEPW Subject:Religion taught in schools
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
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House 19950202 Introduced, read first time, 21 HEPW
referred to Committee
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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTIONS 59-29-250 AND 59-29-260 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF NEW AGE RELIGIOUS AND OCCULT PHILOSOPHIES AND METHODS OF INSTRUCTION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-29-250. (A) It is unlawful to teach, use, or promote occultic practices, tenets, or philosophies in the classrooms of the public schools. These practices include, but are not limited to:
(1) hypnosis or inducing an altered consciousness;
(2) techniques that teach that physical reality can be controlled by mind power alone; and
(3) the idea that morals are relative.
(B) As used in this section:
(1) `Altered consciousness' means the act of negatively affecting an individual's critical awareness of his identity and situation.
(2) `Classroom' means a place of instruction in which more than one student is present. Classroom does not include a counselor's or psychologist's office in which a student is receiving treatment for which authorities have obtained parental consent.
(3) `Hypnosis' means an artificially induced sleeplike condition in which an individual is extremely responsive to suggestions made by the hypnotist.
(4) `Moral relativity' means the premise that there is no absolute moral standard governing the lives of people.
(5) `Occult' means of, pertaining to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
Section 59-29-260. A public school employee who violates the provisions of Section 59-29-250 is subject to disciplinary action to be determined by the local school board."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.