H 3503 General Bill, By Govan, Parks, Gullick, Sellers, J.H. Neal, Alexander, 
Anderson, Anthony, Bales, Bowen, Breeland, R. Brown, Clyburn, Gambrell, Hart, 
Hayes, Hodges, Hosey, Howard, Jefferson, Mitchell, Moss, Mulvaney, J.M. Neal, 
Ott, M.A. Pitts, Scott, Spires, Stavrinakis and Williams
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 59-150-372 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A RESIDENT STUDENT WHO IS AT LEAST A
 SOPHOMORE ATTENDING A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE INSTITUTION IN THIS STATE, MAJORING IN
 SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS, AND RECEIVING A HOPE SCHOLARSHIP SHALL RECEIVE AN
 ADDITIONAL HOPE SCHOLARSHIP STIPEND FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS UNDERGRADUATE
 TERM IF HE MEETS CERTAIN CONDITIONS INCLUDING MAKING SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC
 PROGRESS TOWARD RECEIVING AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS,
 AND TO PROVIDE THAT A SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS MAJOR INCLUDES AN ENGINEERING
 MAJOR; AND BY ADDING SECTION 59-113-60 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A RESIDENT
 STUDENT WHO IS AT LEAST A SOPHOMORE ATTENDING A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE INSTITUTION
 IN THIS STATE, MAJORING IN SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS, AND RECEIVING A NEED-BASED
 GRANT SHALL RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIP STIPEND FOR THE
 REMAINDER OF HIS UNDERGRADUATE TERM IF HE MEETS CERTAIN CONDITIONS INCLUDING
 MAKING SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS TOWARD RECEIVING AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
 IN SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS MAJOR
 INCLUDES AN ENGINEERING MAJOR.

   02/13/07  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-11
   02/13/07  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-12

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-150-372 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A RESIDENT STUDENT WHO IS AT LEAST A SOPHOMORE ATTENDING A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE INSTITUTION IN THIS STATE, MAJORING IN SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS, AND RECEIVING A HOPE SCHOLARSHIP SHALL RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL HOPE SCHOLARSHIP STIPEND FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS UNDERGRADUATE TERM IF HE MEETS CERTAIN CONDITIONS INCLUDING MAKING SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS TOWARD RECEIVING AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS MAJOR INCLUDES AN ENGINEERING MAJOR; AND BY ADDING SECTION 59-113-60 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A RESIDENT STUDENT WHO IS AT LEAST A SOPHOMORE ATTENDING A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE INSTITUTION IN THIS STATE, MAJORING IN SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS, AND RECEIVING A NEED-BASED GRANT SHALL RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIP STIPEND FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS UNDERGRADUATE TERM IF HE MEETS CERTAIN CONDITIONS INCLUDING MAKING SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS TOWARD RECEIVING AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A SCIENCE OR MATHEMATICS MAJOR INCLUDES AN ENGINEERING MAJOR.

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

SECTION    1.    Chapter 150, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-150-372.    (A)    A resident student who is at least a sophomore attending a four-year public or private institution of higher learning in this State, majoring in science or mathematics as defined below, and who is receiving a HOPE Scholarship for his current year, shall receive an additional HOPE Scholarship stipend equal to the cost of attendance after applying all other scholarships or grants not to exceed one thousand two hundred fifty dollars each year for not more than three additional years of instruction including his sophomore year, if enrolled in a four-year degree program or for not more than four additional years of instruction including his sophomore year, if enrolled in a five-year degree program or enrolled in a 3 plus 2 program. A year is defined as thirty credit hours of instruction or its equivalent each year. To receive the additional HOPE Scholarship stipend each year, the student must receive the underlying HOPE Scholarship for that year and must be making satisfactory academic progress each year toward receiving a degree in his science or mathematics major. In addition, during his freshman year, the student is required to have successfully completed a total of at least fourteen credit hours of instruction in mathematics and life and physical science courses with a minimum of six hours in mathematics and a minimum of six hours in life and physical science including one laboratory course.

(B)    The Commission on Higher Education by regulation shall define what constitutes a science or mathematics major but at minimum shall include majors in science or mathematics disciplines, computer science or informational technology, engineering, and health care and related disciplines including medicine and dentistry; provided, that nothing herein prevents a student from changing majors within acceptable science or mathematics disciplines.

(C)    This additional HOPE Scholarship stipend, if lost, may be regained in the same manner the underlying HOPE Scholarship, if lost, may be regained."

SECTION    2.    Chapter 113, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-113-60.    (A)    A resident student who is at least a sophomore attending a four-year public or private institution of higher learning in this State, majoring in science or mathematics as defined below, and who is receiving a need-based grant pursuant to this chapter for his current year, shall receive an additional scholarship stipend equal to the cost of attendance after applying all other scholarships or grants not to exceed fifty percent of the amount of the original need-based grant the student receives each year for not more than three additional years of instruction including his sophomore year, if enrolled in a four-year degree program or for not more than four additional years of instruction including his sophomore year, if enrolled in a five-year degree program or enrolled in a 3 plus 2 program. A year is defined as thirty credit hours of instruction or its equivalent each year. To receive the additional scholarship stipend each year, the student must receive the underlying need-based grant for that year and must be making satisfactory academic progress each year toward receiving a degree in his science or mathematics major. In addition, during his freshman year, the student is required to have successfully completed a total of at least fourteen credit hours of instruction in mathematics and life and physical science courses with a minimum of six hours in mathematics and a minimum of six hours in life and physical science including one laboratory course.

(B)    The Commission on Higher Education by regulation shall define what constitutes a science or mathematics major but at minimum shall include majors in science or mathematics disciplines, computer science or informational technology, engineering, and health care and related disciplines including medicine and dentistry; provided, that nothing herein prevents a student from changing majors within acceptable science or mathematics disciplines.

(C)    This additional need-based scholarship stipend, if lost, may be regained in the same manner the underlying need-based scholarship, if lost, may be regained."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor, and applies beginning with the academic year in the fall of 2007.