S 0868 General Bill, By Reese
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-25-410, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO NOTIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT
 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT CONTRACT TO HIRE RETIRED TEACHERS MAY NOT RESCIND THOSE
 CONTRACTS FOR THE ENSUING SCHOOL YEAR.

   12/05/07  Senate Prefiled
   12/05/07  Senate Referred to Committee on Education
   01/08/08  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-36
   01/08/08  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-36

TO AMEND SECTION 59-25-410, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO NOTIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT CONTRACT TO HIRE RETIRED TEACHERS MAY NOT RESCIND THOSE CONTRACTS FOR THE ENSUING SCHOOL YEAR.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 59-25-410 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 59-25-410.    (A)    On or before April fifteenth of each year, the boards of trustees of the several school districts shall decide and notify, in writing, the teachers, as defined in Section 59-1-130, in their employ concerning their employment for the ensuing year. If the board, or the person designated by it, fails to notify a teacher who has been employed by a school district for a majority of the current school year of his status for the ensuing year, the teacher shall be is deemed to be reemployed for the ensuing year and the board shall issue a contract to such teacher as though the board had reemployed such teacher in the usual manner. Teachers shall give notices of intent not to renew an employment contract shall be given in writing no later than April fifteenth of each year.

(B)    On or before August fifteenth the superintendent, principal, where applicable, or supervisor shall notify the teacher of his tentative assignment for the ensuing school year.

(C)    A school district that notifies a retired teacher in writing of its intention to rehire the teacher for the ensuing school year shall not rescind its offer of employment as a result of financial constraints for one full school year.

(D)    This section shall not apply to any teacher whose contract of employment or dismissal is under appeal under Section 59-25-450.

(E)    For purposes of this article, 'teacher' means all employees possessing a professional certificate issued by the State Department of Education, except those employees working pursuant to multi-year contracts."

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