H 3050 General Bill, By Lucas
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 59-104-25 SO AS TO ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR THE AWARDING OF PALMETTO FELLOWS
 SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS GRADUATING IN 2003 AND THEREAFTER WHO ATTEND "MAGNET
 SCHOOLS" OR SCHOOLS WITH "OPEN ENROLLMENT".

   12/04/02  House  Prefiled
   12/04/02  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/14/03  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-27
   01/14/03  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-27
   03/05/03  House  Committee report: Favorable Education and Public
                     Works HJ-10
   03/06/03         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/18/03  House  Read second time HJ-19
   03/19/03  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-25
   03/19/03  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-9
   03/19/03  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-9

COMMITTEE REPORT

March 5, 2003

H. 3050

S. Printed 3/5/03--H.    [SEC 3/6/03 3:59 PM]

Read the first time January 14, 2003.

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3050) to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section 59-104-25 so as to establish criteria for the awarding of Palmetto Fellows Scholarships, etc., respectfully

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass:

RONALD P. TOWNSEND for Committee.

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-104-25 SO AS TO ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR THE AWARDING OF PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS GRADUATING IN 2003 AND THEREAFTER WHO ATTEND "MAGNET SCHOOLS" OR SCHOOLS WITH "OPEN ENROLLMENT".

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

SECTION    1.    Chapter 59, Title 104 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-104-25.    (A)    For the purposes of applying for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarships, beginning with students graduating in 2003 and thereafter, a 'magnet school' is defined as any public school within a school district whose enrollment is open to all students of that district with all of the following characteristics:

(1)    is attended by students outside their attendance zone who could not attend it if it were not a magnet school;

(2)    emphasizes an academic theme or specialization; and

(3)    was established for desegregation purposes.

(B)    For all students in magnet schools as defined in subsection (A), whenever a student meets all criteria for applying for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship except for rank in class, the student may use the rank in class from the high school he or she would have attended had there been no magnet school so long as by submitting an application for a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, the magnet school student does not cause the regular high school to exceed the five percent limitation from its sophomore or junior class for these scholarships.

(C)    The magnet high schools must be responsible for obtaining official documentation from the regular high school that the magnet high school student is within the top five percent of either the sophomore or junior class. This documentation must be submitted with the student's Palmetto Fellows Scholarship application supporting documents. The official documentation shall include the name of the regular high school, the number in the class and whether it is the sophomore or junior year, and the student's exact rank in that class. Once the Commission on Higher Education has received all eligible applications, the commission shall ensure that the sending high schools do not exceed five percent of their classes with the inclusion of the magnet school applicants."

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