S 0822 General Bill, By Anderson, Patterson, Glover, Matthews, Bryan and 
Washington
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-149-10 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE
 2000-2001 SCHOOL YEAR, THREE LEVELS OF LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS SHALL BE OFFERED; AND
 TO AMEND SECTION 59-49-50 RELATING TO LIFE SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY
 REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE THREE LEVELS
 OF LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS.

   05/13/99  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-18
   05/13/99  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-18

TO AMEND SECTION 59-149-10 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 2000-2001 SCHOOL YEAR, THREE LEVELS OF LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS SHALL BE OFFERED; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-149-50 RELATING TO LIFE SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE THREE LEVELS OF LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS.

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

SECTION 1. Section 59-149-10 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 59-149-10. (A)(1) Legislative Incentives for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarships are established which must be offered by the State.

(2) These scholarships cover the cost of attendance as defined by the Commission on Higher Education by regulation up to a maximum of two thousand dollars a year to eligible resident students attending four-year public or independent institutions as defined in subsection (B) (C), and to cover the cost of attendance up to a maximum of one thousand dollars a year to eligible resident students attending two-year public or independent institutions as defined in subsection (B) (C). This item only applies with respect to LIFE Scholarship recipients who graduated from high school before May 2000.

(B)(1) Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year for those students who graduate from high school on or after May, 2000, the following types of LIFE Scholarships shall be provided:

(a) Level 1 LIFE Scholarships shall be made available to eligible resident students attending four year public or independent institutions, as defined in subsection (C), and who meet the requirements of Section 59-149-50(A)(3)(a);

(b) Level 2 LIFE Scholarships shall be made available to eligible resident students attending four year public or independent institutions, as defined in subsection (B), and who meet the requirements of Section 59-149-50(A)(3)(b); and

(c) Level 3 LIFE Scholarships shall be made available to eligible resident students attending two-year public or independent institutions as defined in subsection (B).

(2) LIFE scholarships shall cover the cost of attendance, as defined by the Commission on Higher Education by regulation, up to:

(a) a maximum of two thousand dollars a year to eligible resident students who receive Level 1 LIFE Scholarships; and

(b) a maximum of one thousand dollars a year to eligible resident students who receive Level 2 LIFE Scholarships or Level 3 LIFE Scholarships.

(B) (C) For purposes of this chapter, a "public or independent institution" which a student may attend to receive a LIFE Scholarship includes the following:

(1) a South Carolina public institution defined in Section 59-103-5 and an independent institution as defined in Section 59-113-50.

(2) a public or independent bachelor's level institution chartered before 1962 whose major campus and headquarters are located within South Carolina; or an independent bachelor's level institution which has attained 501(c)(3) tax status and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools or the New England Association of Colleges and Schools; or a public or independent two-year institution which has attained 501(c)(3) tax status. Institutions whose sole purpose is religious or theological training, or the granting of professional degrees do not meet the definition of 'public or independent institution' for purposes of this chapter.

(C) (D) These LIFE Scholarships must be granted and awarded as provided in this chapter."

SECTION 2. Section 59-149-50 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 59-149-50. (A)(1) To be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, a student must be either a member of a class graduating from a high school located in this State on or after May, 1995, a home school student who has successfully completed a high school home school program in this State in the manner required by law on or after May, 1995, or a student graduating from a preparatory high school outside this State on or after May, 1995, while a dependent of a parent or guardian who is a legal resident of this State and has custody of the dependent, and these students must also meet the requirements of subsection (B).

(2) In addition, beginning with the 1998-99 school year for those students who graduate from high school on or after May, 1998, the student must have graduated from high school with a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade average on a 4.0 scale, and have scored 1000 or better on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or have the equivalent ACT score, 1050 or better beginning with school year 2000-2001, and 1100 or better beginning with school year 2002-2003; provided that if the student is to attend such a public or independent two-year college or university in this State, including a technical college, the SAT requirement does not apply.

(3) Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year for those students who graduate from high school on or after May, 2000:

(a) to receive a Level 1 LIFE Scholarship, the student must have graduated from high school with a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade average on a 4.0 scale, and must have scored a minimum of 1050 on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or have the equivalent ACT score. Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, the minimum SAT score shall be 1100;

(b) to receive a Level 2 LIFE Scholarship or a Level 3 LIFE Scholarship, the student must have graduated from high school with a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade average on a 4.0 scale.

(4)(a) If a student chooses to attend such a public or independent institution of this State and does not make the required SAT score or the required high school grade point average, as applicable, the student may earn a LIFE Scholarship after his freshman year if he meets the grade point average and semester credit hour requirements of subsection (B).

(b) A student who qualified for a Level 2 LIFE Scholarship in his first year shall receive a Level 1 LIFE Scholarship for subsequent years if he meets the grade point average and semester hour requirements of subsection (B).

(B) Students receiving a LIFE Scholarship to retain it and students currently enrolled in an eligible institution to receive such a scholarship must earn a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale each year and earn at least thirty credit hours each year for the maximum of semesters permitted at that institution by Section 59-149-60.

(C) Students who were LIFE Scholarship recipients seeking a degree at such a public or independent institution of this State during their freshman or other year who failed to earn a cumulative 3.0 at the end of the term they attempted the requisite number of hours required by subsection (B) may regain eligibility if their cumulative grade average is a 3.0 at the end of the term they have attempted at least sixty hours if they are a sophomore or ninety hours if they are a junior.

(D) By the year 2000, students graduating from high school to be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship must have passed all courses required for a STAR diploma."

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