S 0415 General Bill, By Fair, Thomas, Verdin, Campsen, Grooms and Bryant
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-104-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO THE PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, SO AS TO PROVIDE
 THAT A PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIP IS AVAILABLE TO AN ELIGIBLE RESIDENT
 STUDENT WHO ATTENDS OR WILL ATTEND A PUBLIC OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION, AND TO
 DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS.

   02/08/05  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-9
   02/08/05  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-9
   04/21/05  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education SJ-10
   04/25/05         Scrivener's error corrected
   04/25/05  Senate Amended SJ-14
   04/25/05  Senate Read second time SJ-14
   04/26/05  Senate Read third time and sent to House
   04/27/05  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-7
   04/27/05  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-7

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED

April 25, 2005

S. 415

Introduced by Senators Fair, Thomas, Verdin, Campsen, Grooms and Bryant

S. Printed 4/25/05--S.

Read the first time February 8, 2005.

TO AMEND SECTION 59-104-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIP IS AVAILABLE TO AN ELIGIBLE RESIDENT STUDENT WHO ATTENDS OR WILL ATTEND A PUBLIC OR INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION, AND TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS.

Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION    1.    Section 59-104-20 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Section 3G of Act 356 of 2002, is further amended by adding subsections (E) and (F) at the end to read:

"(E)    A Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is available to an eligible resident student who attends or will attend an eligible four-year public or independent institution.

(F)    For purposes of subsection (E):

(1)    'Public or independent institution' means:

(a)    a South Carolina public institution defined in Section 59-103-5, excluding a public two-year or technical institution, and an independent institution as defined in Section 59-113-50, excluding an eleemosynary junior or independent two-year institution; or

(b)    a public or independent bachelor's level institution chartered before 1962 whose major campus and headquarters are located within South Carolina.

(2)    'Resident student' means:

(a)    a student who is either a member of a class graduating from a high school located in this State, a home school student who has successfully completed a high school home school program in this State in the manner required by law, or a student graduating from a preparatory high school outside this State, while a dependent of a parent or guardian who is a legal resident of this State and has custody of the dependent; and

(b)    a student classified as a resident of South Carolina for in-state tuition purposes under Chapter 112 of this title at the time of enrollment at the institution."

SECTION    2.    Section 2-77-15 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 2-77-15.    For purposes of this chapter:

(1)    'Eligible institution' means a four-year institution of higher learning: at which sixty percent or more of the enrolled undergraduate students are low-income and educationally disadvantaged students.

(a)    at which sixty-percent or more of the enrolled undergraduate students were low-income and educationally disadvantaged students, for the four consecutive years immediately preceding the then current year;

(b)    that is defined in Part B, Subchapter 111, Chapter 28, Title 20 of the United States Code;

(c)    that is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools;

(d)    that is organized as a nonprofit corporation or is a public institution; and

(e)    that has its main campus located in South Carolina.

(2)    'Federal funding program' means:

(a)    Section 507(c) of the Omnibus Parks and Land Management Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 470a note), as amended; or

(b)    Part B, Subchapter III, Chapter 28, Title 20 of the United States Code.

(3)    'Low-income and educationally disadvantaged student' means a student who receives a Pell Grant."

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