H*4639(Rat #0150, Act #0146 of 2016)  General Bill, By Allison and Taylor

Similar(S 1091)
 AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 59-103-17 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION MAY ENTER
 INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS THAT AUTHORIZE ACCREDITED DEGREE-GRANTING
 INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE TO OFFER POSTSECONDARY DISTANCE
 EDUCATION IN A CERTAIN MANNER, TO PROVIDE RELATED POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE
 COMMISSION, TO PROVIDE PARTICIPATION IN THESE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS IS
 VOLUNTARY TO ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE, TO
 PROVIDE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE THAT DO NOT PARTICIPATE
 IN ANY INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BY THE COMMISSION ARE NOT
 PROHIBITED FROM OFFERING POSTSECONDARY DISTANCE EDUCATION, AND TO CLARIFY THAT
 NO PROVISION OF THIS ACT PROHIBITS OR REDUCES THE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION
 TO LICENSE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OFFERING DISTANCE EDUCATION IN
 THIS STATE IF THE INSTITUTION IS NOT A PARTICIPANT IN THE INTERSTATE
 RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT IN WHICH THE COMMISSION PARTICIPATES. - ratified title

   01/12/16  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 121)
   01/12/16  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 121)
   02/04/16  House  Committee report: Favorable Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 3)
   02/09/16  House  Amended (House Journal-page 26)
   02/09/16  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 26)
   02/09/16  House  Roll call Yeas-110  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 27)
   02/10/16  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
   02/10/16  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 6)
   02/10/16  Senate Referred to Committee on Education
                     (Senate Journal-page 6)
   02/25/16  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education (Senate Journal-page 14)
   02/26/16         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/02/16  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 32)
   03/02/16  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 32)
   03/02/16  Senate Roll call Ayes-42  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 32)
   03/03/16  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments (Senate Journal-page 9)
   03/09/16  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
                     (House Journal-page 19)
   03/09/16  House  Roll call Yeas-107  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 19)
   03/10/16         Ratified R 150
   03/14/16         Signed By Governor
   03/16/16         Effective date 03/14/16
   03/17/16         Act No. 146

(A146, R150, H4639)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-103-17 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION MAY ENTER INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS THAT AUTHORIZE ACCREDITED DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE TO OFFER POSTSECONDARY DISTANCE EDUCATION IN A CERTAIN MANNER, TO PROVIDE RELATED POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION, TO PROVIDE PARTICIPATION IN THESE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS IS VOLUNTARY TO ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE THAT DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BY THE COMMISSION ARE NOT PROHIBITED FROM OFFERING POSTSECONDARY DISTANCE EDUCATION, AND TO CLARIFY THAT NO PROVISION OF THIS ACT PROHIBITS OR REDUCES THE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION TO LICENSE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OFFERING DISTANCE EDUCATION IN THIS STATE IF THE INSTITUTION IS NOT A PARTICIPANT IN THE INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT IN WHICH THE COMMISSION PARTICIPATES.

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

Interstate reciprocity for postsecondary distance education

SECTION    1.    Article 1, Chapter 103, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-103-17.    (A)    The Commission on Higher Education may enter into interstate reciprocity agreements, including, but not limited to, the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, that authorize accredited degree-granting institutions of higher education that offer postsecondary distance education to do so through such reciprocity agreements. The commission shall administer these agreements and shall approve or disapprove participation in these agreements by accredited degree-granting institutions of higher education in this State. The commission may assume and exercise all powers, duties, and responsibilities associated with and required under the terms of an interstate reciprocity agreement.

(B)    The commission may develop policies, procedures, or regulations necessary for the implementation of this section, including the establishment of fees to be paid by participating institutions to cover direct and indirect administrative costs incurred by the commission. Participation in interstate reciprocity agreements shall be voluntary to eligible institutions of higher education in this State.

(C)    Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit institutions of higher education in this State that do not participate in any interstate reciprocity agreement entered into by the commission from offering postsecondary distance education.

(D)    Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit or reduce the commission's authority over institutions of higher education offering distance education in this State if the institution is not a participant in the interstate reciprocity agreement in which the commission participates."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 10th day of March, 2016.

Approved the 14th day of March, 2016.