H 4863 General Bill, By King and Cobb-Hunter
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-63-20, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE RESPECTIVE AGES THAT CHILDREN MUST ATTAIN TO ENTER
 KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CHILDREN
 ENTERING KINDERGARTEN MUST ATTAIN THE AGE OF FIVE AND CHILDREN ENTERING FIRST
 GRADE MUST ATTAIN THE AGE OF SIX ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST OF THE
 APPLICABLE SCHOOL YEAR, IN ADDITION TO CERTAIN OTHER EXISTING REQUIREMENTS.

   03/06/14  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 4)
   03/06/14  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 4)

TO AMEND SECTION 59-63-20, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE RESPECTIVE AGES THAT CHILDREN MUST ATTAIN TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CHILDREN ENTERING KINDERGARTEN MUST ATTAIN THE AGE OF FIVE AND CHILDREN ENTERING FIRST GRADE MUST ATTAIN THE AGE OF SIX ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST OF THE APPLICABLE SCHOOL YEAR, IN ADDITION TO CERTAIN OTHER EXISTING REQUIREMENTS.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 59-63-20(3) and (4) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(3)    Students may enter kindergarten in the public schools of this State if they will attain the age of five on or before September first December thirty-first of the applicable school year or have substantially initiated a public school kindergarten program in another state that has a different attendance age requirement from South Carolina;

(4)    Students may not enter the first grade in the public schools of this State unless if they will attain the age of six on or before September first December thirty-first of the applicable school year or have substantially initiated a first grade program in another state that has a different attendance age requirement from South Carolina or have attended a public school kindergarten program for one full school year;"

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect January 1, 2015.