H 3482 General Bill, By Fair, Cato, Cooper, Davenport, B.H. Harwell, 
R.J. Herdklotz, T.E. Huff, Kelley, Klauber, Koon, Neilson, Rice, Simrill, 
R. Smith, Stille, P.H. Thomas, Tripp, Vaughn, Witherspoon and Young-Brickell

Similar(S 200)
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 59-1-460 so as to provide for public school students to be excused from class
 to attend off-campus religious instruction, to provide for the requirements
 that must be met before students may be excused for this purpose, to provide
 that students attending this instruction are not considered absent from
 school, and to provide that the Board of Trustees of the school district shall
 develop a policy that provides reasonable parameters for the release time
 authorized.

   02/02/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-10
   02/02/95  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-10

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-460 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BE EXCUSED FROM CLASS TO ATTEND OFF-CAMPUS RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION, TO PROVIDE FOR THE REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET BEFORE STUDENTS MAY BE EXCUSED FOR THIS PURPOSE, TO PROVIDE THAT STUDENTS ATTENDING THIS INSTRUCTION ARE NOT CONSIDERED ABSENT FROM SCHOOL, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL DEVELOP A POLICY THAT PROVIDES REASONABLE PARAMETERS FOR THE RELEASE TIME AUTHORIZED.

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

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

"Section 59-1-460. The school district board of trustees shall authorize a student to be excused from school to attend a class in religious instruction if:

(1) the student's parent or guardian gives his written consent;

(2) the sponsoring religious institution maintains attendance records and makes them available to the public school the student attends;

(3) transportation to and from the religious instruction is the complete responsibility of the sponsoring religious institution, parent, or guardian;

(4) the sponsoring religious institution makes provisions for and assumes liability for the student who is excused; and

(5) no public school personnel are involved in providing the religious instruction.

At the middle school, junior high, or high school level, classes in religious instruction must be timed to coincide with the regular daily class schedule. At the elementary school level, participating students must be excused for a minimum of sixty minutes a week for religious instruction. It is the responsibility of a participating student to make up any missed school work.

While in attendance in a religious instruction class pursuant to this section, a student is not considered to be absent from school.

The board of trustees of the school district shall develop a policy that provides reasonable parameters for the release time authorized by this section."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect August 1, 1995.