H*3236(Rat #0187, Act #0163 of 2012)  General Bill, By Daning and G.R. Smith
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-65-10 AND SECTION 59-65-30, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
 CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO COMPULSORY EDUCATION FOR SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL
 CHILDREN AND THE EXCEPTION TO THE REQUIREMENT, RESPECTIVELY, SO AS TO INCLUDE
 THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS AS AN AUTHORIZER OF
 SCHOOLS THAT CHILDREN MAY ATTEND WITHIN THE COMPULSORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENT.
 - ratified title

   12/14/10  House  Prefiled
   12/14/10  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/11/11  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 95)
   01/11/11  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 95)
   06/01/11  House  Committee report: Favorable Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 6)
   06/02/11  House  Debate adjourned (House Journal-page 16)
   01/10/12  House  Debate adjourned until Wed., 01-11-12
                     (House Journal-page 77)
   01/11/12  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 26)
   01/11/12  House  Roll call Yeas-102  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 26)
   01/12/12  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 132)
   01/12/12  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 6)
   01/12/12  Senate Referred to Committee on Education
                     (Senate Journal-page 6)
   01/20/12         Scrivener's error corrected
   04/18/12  Senate Committee report: Favorable Ethics
                     (Senate Journal-page 16)
   04/19/12  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 57)
   04/19/12  Senate Roll call Ayes-32  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 57)
   04/24/12  Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 16)
   05/08/12         Ratified R 187
   05/14/12         Signed By Governor
   05/17/12         Effective date 05/14/12
   05/21/12         Act No. 163

(A163, R187, H3236)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-65-10 AND SECTION 59-65-30, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO COMPULSORY EDUCATION FOR SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL CHILDREN AND THE EXCEPTION TO THE REQUIREMENT, RESPECTIVELY, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS AS AN AUTHORIZER OF SCHOOLS THAT CHILDREN MAY ATTEND WITHIN THE COMPULSORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENT.

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

Compulsory school attendance requirement satisfied by attending school approved by the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools

SECTION    1.    Section 59-65-10(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A)    A parent or guardian shall require his child to attend regularly a public or private school or kindergarten of this State which has been approved by the State Board of Education, a member school of the South Carolina Independent Schools' Association, a member school of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools, or some similar organization, or a parochial, denominational, or church-related school, or other programs which have been approved by the State Board of Education from the school year in which the child is five years of age before September first until the child attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school. A parent or guardian whose child is not six years of age on or before the first day of September of a particular school year may elect for their child or ward not to attend kindergarten. For this purpose, the parent or guardian shall sign a written document making the election with the governing body of the school district in which the parent or guardian resides. The form of this written document must be prescribed by regulation of the Department of Education. Upon the written election being executed, that child is not required to attend kindergarten."

Graduate of school approved by the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools exempt from applicability of compulsory attendance requirements

SECTION    2.    Section 59-65-30(a) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(a)    A child who has graduated from high school or has received the equivalent of a high school education from a school approved by the State Board of Education, member school of South Carolina Independent Schools' Association, a private school in existence at the time of the passage of this article, or a member school of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools;"

Time effective

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

Ratified the 8th day of May, 2012.

Approved the 14th day of May, 2012.