H*3847(Rat #0072, Act #0124 of 2015)  Joint Resolution, By G.R. Smith, Burns, 
Hamilton, Loftis, Robinson-Simpson, Putnam, Allison, Bannister, Chumley, 
Dillard, Nanney, Stringer and Willis
 A JOINT RESOLUTION TO TEMPORARILY EXEMPT APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE AS A
 SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST ASSISTANT FROM THE REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A
 BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM A REGIONALLY ACCREDITED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
 FOUND IN SECTION 40-67-220 OF THE 1976 CODE IF THE APPLICANT HOLDS A
 BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY FROM A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED
 INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS JOINT
 RESOLUTION LIBERALLY MUST BE CONSTRUED TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSES OF THIS
 JOINT RESOLUTION AND MUST BE APPLIED RETROACTIVELY; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE
 EXPIRATION OF THIS JOINT RESOLUTION ON JULY 1, 2019. - ratified title

   03/17/15  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference (House Journal-page 29)
   03/18/15  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 18)
   03/18/15  House  Roll call Yeas-97  Nays-3 (House Journal-page 19)
   03/19/15  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 17)
   03/24/15  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 14)
   03/24/15  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 14)
   05/04/15  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 16)
   05/12/15  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 55)
   05/12/15  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 55)
   05/12/15  Senate Roll call Ayes-41  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 55)
   05/13/15  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments (Senate Journal-page 23)
   05/14/15         Scrivener's error corrected
   05/19/15  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
                     (House Journal-page 92)
   05/19/15  House  Roll call Yeas-63  Nays-38 (House Journal-page 92)
   05/28/15         Ratified R 72
   06/03/15         Signed By Governor
   06/08/15         Effective date See Act for Effective Date
   08/17/15         Act No. 124

(A124, R72, H3847)

A JOINT RESOLUTION TO TEMPORARILY EXEMPT APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE AS A SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST ASSISTANT FROM THE REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM A REGIONALLY ACCREDITED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOUND IN SECTION 40-67-220 OF THE 1976 CODE IF THE APPLICANT HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY FROM A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS JOINT RESOLUTION LIBERALLY MUST BE CONSTRUED TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSES OF THIS JOINT RESOLUTION AND MUST BE APPLIED RETROACTIVELY; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPIRATION OF THIS JOINT RESOLUTION ON JULY 1, 2019.

Whereas, the General Assembly applauds the good faith efforts of people who try to better themselves by advancing their education, and encourages the pursuit of higher education as a means to achieving individual economic security and improving the economy of this State; and

Whereas, the General Assembly recognizes that in recent years some students embarked on a path to becoming speech-language pathologist assistants in reliance on certain licensure requirements that subsequently were changed in a way that rendered their education meaningless for the purposes of seeking licensure; and

Whereas, prior to the enactment of Act 167 of 2014, applicants for licensure as speech-language pathologist assistants were required to have earned a bachelor's degree in speech-language pathology without regard to the accreditation, if any, of the school that granted the degree. Following the enactment of Act 167 of 2014, applicants were required to have earned a bachelor's degree in speech-language pathology from a regionally accredited institution; and

Whereas, the General Assembly finds that this criteria change has had a profoundly negative impact on students enrolled in baccalaureate speech-language pathology programs that are nationally accredited but not regionally accredited, and that it is necessary and proper to mitigate this negative impact by temporarily adjusting these requirements to fit the circumstances of these students and allow them a reasonable amount of time to complete the path to licensure that they embarked upon in good faith. Now, therefore,

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

Exemptions from degree-granting institution accreditation requirements

SECTION    1.    An applicant for licensure as a speech-language pathologist assistant who earned a bachelor's degree in speech-language pathology from a nationally accredited institution of higher education is exempt from the requirement of having a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education found in Section 40-67-220(F) of the 1976 Code, which was enacted by Act 167 of 2014, on May 16, 2014.

Retroactive application

SECTION    2.    The provisions of this joint resolution apply retroactively.

Construction of provisions

SECTION    3.    The provisions of this joint resolution must be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes of this joint resolution.

Time effective, expiration

SECTION    4.    This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor and expires on July 1, 2019.

Ratified the 28th day of May, 2015.

Approved the 3rd day of June, 2015.