The Committee on Education and Public Works proposes the following Amendment No. 1 to H. 3795 (COUNCIL\WAB\3795C001.RT.WAB21):

Reference is to the bill as introduced.

Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, Section 40-84-110, by striking item (1) and inserting:

/ (1) 'Agency' means:

(a) the departments of state government enumerated in Section 1-30-10;

(b) the offices of all statewide constitutional officers;

(c) the Judicial Department;

(d) all public institutions of higher education;

(e) the Commission on Higher Education;

(f) police stations;

(g) county and state detention centers and correctional facilities; and

(h) any other board, commission, or council created by a statute of this State; but

(i) excludes school districts, school boards, charter schools, and special schools. /

Amend the bill further by striking SECTION 3 and inserting:

/ SECTION 3. Article 1, Chapter 33, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-33-120.In consultation with relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the South Carolina Association of the Deaf and the South Carolina Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, the State Board of Education shall develop and promulgate regulations for the appropriate credentialing of sign language interpreters in the public and special schools of this State. These regulations must include provisions for initial credentialing and continuing education requirements as appropriately aligned to the certification. Interpreters for the deaf working in schools and school districts in this State must be required to submit the same background checks as educators pursuant to Section 59-25-115." /

Amend the bill further by striking SECTION 5 and inserting:

/ SECTION5. This act takes effect on January 1, 2023. /