The Committee on Education and Public Works proposes the following amendment (LC-70.WAB0002H):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-19-730(A) and inserting:

 (A) The State Board of Education shall adopt, and revise as necessary, a model code of ethics consistent with standards established by the South Carolina Ethics Commission for local school board members. The code shall include penalties for violations that the State Board of Education determines are reasonable and necessary.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-19-730(B)(5) and inserting:

  (5) A local school board shall submit a copy of its local code of ethics and subsequent revisions to the Department of EducationState Board of Education within thirtysixty days of adoption.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-19-45(B) and inserting:

 (B) Within one yearsixnine months of taking office, all persons elected, reelected, or appointed, or reappointed as members of a school district board of trustees after July 1, 1997 regardless of the date of their election, reelection, appointment, or reappointment, shall complete successfully the required an orientationtraining program in the powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board member including, but not limited to, topics on policy development, personnel, superintendent and board relations, instructional programs, district finance, school law, ethics, nepotism, conflicts of interest, and community relations. This program must be offered by the department or its designee(s) and completed by each board member within sixnine months after his election, reelection, appointment, or reappointment. The State Board of Education must keep a record of the school board trustees who complete the training program within the required time. The State Board of Education shall issue a letter of caution informing any school board trustee who fails to comply with the requirements of this section providing a time in which to cure the noncompliance. If the school board trustee fails to cure his noncompliance, the State Board of Education shall submit the name of the school board trustee to the Governor for recommendation of removal under Section 59-19-60.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-19-45(D) and inserting:

 (D)(C) The provisions of this section also apply to members of county boards of education appointed or elected after July 1, 1997, in the same manner the provisions of this section apply to members of school district boards of trustees.At the beginning of each calendar year, A local school board shall certify compliance with the provisions of subsection (B) and (C) by all board members within nine months of the election, reelection, appointment, or reappointment of the board and publish this certification in the minutes of the next regularly scheduled school board meeting.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.