S*0726(Rat #0155, Act #0102 of 2007)  General Bill, By Grooms, McGill, Rankin, 
Cleary, Reese, Bryant, Alexander, O'Dell, Verdin, Ford, Williams, McConnell, 
Short, Knotts, Land, Setzler, Malloy, Leatherman, Jackson, Hayes, Scott, Peeler, 
Sheheen, Thomas, Ryberg, Patterson, Vaughn, Fair, Hutto, Pinckney, Gregory, 
Moore, Anderson, Drummond, Hawkins, Campsen, Courson, Cromer, Matthews, Ritchie and 
Martin
 AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 29, TITLE 59, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO SUBJECTS OF INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ADDING SECTION
 59-29-230 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY
 OFFER AN ELECTIVE COURSE TEACHING THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF THE OLD
 TESTAMENT ERA AND AN ELECTIVE COURSE TEACHING THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF
 THE NEW TESTAMENT ERA; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COURSES MUST BE TAUGHT IN AN
 OBJECTIVE MANNER WITH NO ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE STUDENTS AS TO THE TRUTH OR
 FALSITY OF THE MATERIALS PRESENTED; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF
 EDUCATION MUST DEVELOP AND ADOPT ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND APPROPRIATE
 INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE COURSES; AND TO PROVIDE FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE
 CLASSES BY THE LOCAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES. - ratified title

   05/01/07  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   05/01/07  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-6
   05/23/07  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education SJ-50
   05/24/07  Senate  Committee Amendment Amended and Adopted SJ-63
   05/24/07  Senate Read second time SJ-63
   05/24/07  Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day SJ-63
   05/25/07  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-3
   05/29/07  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-10
   05/29/07  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-11
   05/31/07  House  Committee report: Favorable Education and Public
                     Works HJ-3
   06/05/07  House  Debate adjourned HJ-39
   06/06/07  House  Requests for debate-Rep(s). Scott, Ott, Govan,
                     Cobb-Hunter, Weeks, Hosey, Walker, and Whitmire HJ-13
   06/06/07  House  Requests for debate removed-Rep(s). Ott,
                     Whitmire, and Weeks HJ-21
   06/06/07  House  Read second time HJ-70
   06/06/07  House  Roll call Yeas-97  Nays-10 HJ-75
   06/07/07  House  Read third time and enrolled HJ-74
   06/12/07         Ratified R 155
   06/18/07         Signed By Governor
   06/21/07         Copies available
   06/21/07         Effective date 06/18/07
   06/27/07         Act No. 102

(A102, R155, S726)

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 29, TITLE 59, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SUBJECTS OF INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-230 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY OFFER AN ELECTIVE COURSE TEACHING THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ERA AND AN ELECTIVE COURSE TEACHING THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ERA; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COURSES MUST BE TAUGHT IN AN OBJECTIVE MANNER WITH NO ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE STUDENTS AS TO THE TRUTH OR FALSITY OF THE MATERIALS PRESENTED; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MUST DEVELOP AND ADOPT ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE COURSES; AND TO PROVIDE FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE CLASSES BY THE LOCAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

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

Old and New Testament era courses

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

"Section 59-29-230.    (A)(1)    A school district board of trustees may authorize, to be taught in the district's high schools, an elective course concerning the history and literature of the Old Testament era and an elective course concerning the history and literature of the New Testament era.

(2)    Each course offered must be taught in an objective manner with no attempt to influence the students as to either the truth or falsity of the materials presented.

(3)    Students must be awarded the same number of Carnegie units that are awarded to other classes of similar duration.

(4)    A particular version of the Old or New Testament to be used in either course may be recommended by the board of trustees; provided, that the teacher of the course and students enrolled in the course may use any version of the Old and New Testaments.

(B)    The board of trustees of a district that offers a course pursuant to this section must:

(1)    maintain supervision and control of the course;

(2)    hire any new teachers that it determines are required to teach the course in the same manner all other teachers are hired;

(3)    assure that all teachers teaching the course are certified by the State; and

(4)    make no inquiry into the religious beliefs, or the lack of religious beliefs, held by a teacher when determining which teacher shall teach the class.

(C)    The State Board of Education shall develop and adopt academic standards and appropriate instructional materials that must be used by high schools offering a course pursuant to this section. These academic standards and instructional materials must ensure that the courses do not disparage or encourage a commitment to a set of religious beliefs.

(D)    The academic standards and appropriate instructional materials developed and adopted by the board must:

(1)    be designed to help students gain a greater appreciation of the Old Testament and the New Testament as great works of literature, art, and music; assist students in gaining greater insight into the many historical events recorded in the Old Testament and the New Testament; and provide students with a greater awareness of the many social customs that the Old Testament and the New Testament have significantly influenced; and

(2)    provide that the Old Testament is the primary text for the course exploring the history and literature of the Old Testament era and that the New Testament is the primary text for the course exploring the history and literature of the New Testament era.

(E)    The academic standards developed and adopted may provide that students may be assigned period-appropriate secular historical and literary works to supplement the primary text."

Severability

SECTION    2.    If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act, and each and every section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 12th day of June, 2007.

Approved the 18th day of June, 2007.