H 4385 General Bill, By Rodgers and Woodrum
 A BILL TO PROVIDE THAT THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG MUST BE REMOVED FROM ATOP
 THE STATE HOUSE AND PLACED IN A SUITABLE LOCATION ON THE STATE HOUSE GROUNDS
 AS DETERMINED BY A COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF A MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR,
 TWO MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
 REPRESENTATIVES, AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT PRO
 TEMPORE OF THE SENATE; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, TITLE 10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
 CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY BY ADDING SECTION
 10-1-166 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ONLY THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND THE SOUTH
 CAROLINA STATE FLAG SHALL FLY ATOP THE STATE HOUSE, BY ADDING SECTION 10-1-215
 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE REMOVAL OR RENAMING OF CERTAIN MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS
 WITHOUT A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF EACH HOUSE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND BY ADDING
 SECTION 59-29-125 SO AS TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO INCORPORATE A STUDY OF
 CULTURES AND ETHNIC IDENTITIES INTO THEIR CURRICULA IN FEBRUARY EACH YEAR AND
 TO CALL THE STUDY "HERITAGE MONTH"; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS ACT IS EFFECTIVE
 UPON THE GOVERNOR CERTIFYING TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE THAT, AS OF THE DATE OF THE
 CERTIFICATION, NO ORGANIZATION IS CONDUCTING A BOYCOTT IN THIS STATE REGARDING
 THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG.

   01/05/00  House  Prefiled
   01/05/00  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/11/00  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-443
   01/11/00  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-444

TO PROVIDE THAT THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG MUST BE REMOVED FROM ATOP THE STATE HOUSE AND PLACED IN A SUITABLE LOCATION ON THE STATE HOUSE GROUNDS AS DETERMINED BY A COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF A MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, TWO MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, TITLE 10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY BY ADDING SECTION 10-1-166 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ONLY THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FLAG SHALL FLY ATOP THE STATE HOUSE, BY ADDING SECTION 10-1-215 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE REMOVAL OR RENAMING OF CERTAIN MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS WITHOUT A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF EACH HOUSE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-125 SO AS TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO INCORPORATE A STUDY OF CULTURES AND ETHNIC IDENTITIES INTO THEIR CURRICULA IN FEBRUARY EACH YEAR AND TO CALL THE STUDY "HERITAGE MONTH"; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS ACT IS EFFECTIVE UPON THE GOVERNOR CERTIFYING TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE THAT, AS OF THE DATE OF THE CERTIFICATION, NO ORGANIZATION IS CONDUCTING A BOYCOTT IN THIS STATE REGARDING THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG.

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

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Confederate Battle Flag shall be removed from atop the State House and placed in a suitable location on the State House grounds as determined by a committee consisting of one member appointed by the Governor, two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker, and two members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

SECTION 2. Chapter 1, Title 10 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 10-1-166. Only the United States Flag and the South Carolina State Flag shall fly atop the State House."

SECTION 3. Chapter 1, Title 10 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 10-1-215. No monument, marker, painting, sculpture, memorial, street, highway, bridge, or park located on public property of the State or its political subdivisions which honors the memory of the Confederacy or individuals who served in the Confederate Army, Navy, or Marine Corps or the Women of the Confederacy or which honors the memory of the civil rights struggle or individuals who participated in the civil rights struggle may be removed or renamed without two-thirds vote of each house of the General Assembly."

SECTION 4. Chapter 29, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-29-125. Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, each public school in the State must incorporate into its curricula for the month of February the study and celebration of 'Heritage Month'. For the first three weeks of the month this study must focus on the different ethnic groups and cultures which have contributed to the richness and diversity of the United States, but must not concentrate on any specific culture for an extended period of time. In the fourth week of February, the curricula for 'Heritage Month' must concentrate on the theme 'What It Means to be an American'."

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. However, before its provisions may be implemented, the Governor must first certify to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President Pro Tempore of the Senate that, as of the date of the certification, no national or state organization devoted to the promotion of civil rights is conducting any boycott in this State regarding the Confederate Battle Flag.