S 1066 General Bill, By Leventis, Wilson, Hayes, Branton and Giese

Similar(H 4290)
 A BILL TO AMEND ARTICLE 6, CHAPTER 111 OF TITLE 59, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
 CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ONE-HALF TUITION CHARGES FOR MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH
 CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD TO ATTEND STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
 LEARNING OR TECHNICAL COLLEGES, SO AS TO PROVIDE A FULL TUITION EXEMPTION FOR
 UP TO FIFTEEN CREDIT HOURS A SEMESTER INSTEAD OF TWELVE, TO PROVIDE THE
 TUITION EXEMPTION SHALL NOT BE ON A SPACE AVAILABLE BASIS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE
 CREDIT HOURS EARNED BY THESE STUDENTS SHALL BE USED IN HIGHER EDUCATION
 FORMULAS FOR FUNDING, AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR OTHER PROCEDURAL MATTERS IN
 REGARD TO THIS TUITION EXEMPTION.

   01/25/00  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-2
   01/25/00  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-2

TO AMEND ARTICLE 6, CHAPTER 111 OF TITLE 59, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ONE-HALF TUITION CHARGES FOR MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD TO ATTEND STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING OR TECHNICAL COLLEGES, SO AS TO PROVIDE A FULL TUITION EXEMPTION FOR UP TO FIFTEEN CREDIT HOURS A SEMESTER INSTEAD OF TWELVE, TO PROVIDE THE TUITION EXEMPTION SHALL NOT BE ON A SPACE AVAILABLE BASIS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CREDIT HOURS EARNED BY THESE STUDENTS SHALL BE USED IN HIGHER EDUCATION FORMULAS FOR FUNDING, AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR OTHER PROCEDURAL MATTERS IN REGARD TO THIS TUITION EXEMPTION.

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

SECTION 1. Article 6, Chapter 111, Title 59 of the 1976 Code, as added by Section 135 of Act 497 of 1994, is amended to read:

"Article 6

Section 59-111-410. As used in this article, 'tuition' means the amount charged for registering for a credit hour of instruction and shall not be construed to mean any other fees or charges or costs of textbooks.

Section 59-111-420. (A) A member of the South Carolina National Guard enrolled as a student in state-supported institutions of higher learning or technical colleges, as these institutions are enumerated in Section 59-111-340, is exempt from one-half of the tuition charges for up to twelve fifteen credit hours as long as the student is a member in good standing of the South Carolina National Guard. The student must be a resident of South Carolina in order to be eligible for such one-half this tuition exemption. This one-half tuition exemption may be claimed for a period of five years or until the receipt of a bachelor's degree, whichever occurs first. The State Commission on Higher Education shall administer the provisions of this section and has the authority to issue an exemption for one-half of the tuition fees for up to twelve fifteen credit hours per semester to a member of the South Carolina National Guard so qualifying. This exemption shall remain in effect for one full academic year and may be renewed in accordance with regulations prescribed by the commission.

(B) The one-half tuition benefits provided by this section are optional with the particular institution or college and are based on availability of seats. Availability of seats shall be determined on a course-by-course basis during registration by the institution or college.

(C) If the student terminates his enlistment in the South Carolina National Guard or if the student's work and conduct are no longer satisfactory to the governing body of the institution the student attends, the exemption is forfeited immediately, and the student shall pay the institution all tuition charges from which the student was exempt for that period.

(D) To receive the exemption, a student must be a member in good standing of the South Carolina National Guard for the entire semester for which the exemption is claimed.

(E) The Adjutant General shall promulgate the regulations necessary for the implementation of this article and submit a list of eligible participants to the State Commission on Higher Education for validation.

(F) The State Commission on Higher Education shall validate the South Carolina National Guard list and forward an exemption certificate for each student to the registrar of the appropriate institution.

Section 59-111-430. The credit hours generated by students who are members of the South Carolina National Guard receiving one-half the tuition exemption under this article shall not be used in computing the higher education funding formula for funding and shall not have an impact on the level of funding an institution receives.

Section 59-111-440. The provisions of this article are applicable beginning with the fall semester or quarter of 1995, provided, that the provisions of this article providing for full tuition exemption are applicable beginning with the fall semester or quarter of 2000 and thereafter."

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