South Carolina General Assembly
107th Session, 1987-1988

Bill 2973


                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2973
Ratification Number:       204
Act Number                 146
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Joint Legislative Committee on Cultural
                           Affairs
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A146, R204, H2973)

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 68 OF TITLE 2, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON CULTURAL AFFAIRS, BY ADDING SECTION 2-68-40 SO AS TO CREATE THE SOUTH CAROLINA FOLK HERITAGE AWARD, PROVIDE FOR THE CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD, AND TO CREATE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO CHOOSE AWARD RECIPIENTS.

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

Award created; criteria, etc.

SECTION 1. Chapter 68 of Title 2 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 2-68-40. (A) There is created the South Carolina Folk Heritage Award which may be presented to no more than four recipients each year by the General Assembly.

(B) The purpose of the award is to recognize lifetime achievement in this State for traditional folk art. The award recognizes individuals or groups who have used their lives to create beauty and meaning for their communities and the State as a whole in ways that are significant because they have lasted, often for hundreds of years. Winners of the award represent those who have demonstrated excellence in folk art, and have maintained and enriched the lives of all persons of their communities and of the State through their unique talents.

(C) Criteria for the award must be as follows:

(1) emphasis on authenticity of tradition, giving the highest priority to those crafts with a long history of practice in this State;

(2) the significance of the individual folk artist or folk art group in maintaining or stimulating the craft to higher levels of artistic achievement;

(3) the award must be given to folk artists living and practicing in this State.

(D) There is established an awards advisory committee whose purpose is to choose award recipients. This advisory committee must be composed of seven members who shall serve two-year terms, except that of the members first appointed, three must be appointed for terms of one year, and four must be appointed for terms of

two years. The members of the advisory committee shall receive no mileage, per diem, or subsistence unless provided for by private funds.

The members of the advisory committee must be appointed in the following manner:

(1) a member of the South Carolina Arts Commission, or its designee;

(2) a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Cultural Affairs, or its designee;

(3) the Folk Arts Coordinator at McKissick Museum;

(4) two citizens, one of whom represents the Afro-American community, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House upon recommendation of the Joint Legislative Committee on Cultural Affairs;

(5) two citizens, one of whom represents the American Indian community, to be appointed by the President of the Senate upon recommendation of the Joint Legislative Committee on Cultural Affairs.

(E) No state funds may be used for this award.

Private funds must be raised to cover any expenses incurred or associated with presenting the award."

Time effective

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