Current Status Bill Number:4336 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:19960109 Primary Sponsor:T. Brown All Sponsors:T. Brown, Clyburn, Jennings, J. Brown, Wilder, Townsend, Allison, J. Young, Lloyd, Harvin, Breeland, Wells, Canty, Cobb-Hunter, Kennedy, Govan, Cave, Hutson Drafted Document Number:PFM\7706SD.96 Residing Body:House Current Committee:Ways and Means Committee 30 HWM Subject:School conferences, employee leave
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________
House 19960109 Introduced, read first time, 30 HWM
referred to Committee
House 19951206 Prefiled, referred to Committee 30 HWM
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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-456 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE AN EMPLOYEE UP TO EIGHT HOURS OF PAID LEAVE EACH YEAR FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTENDING CERTAIN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL CONFERENCES OR ACTIVITIES DURING THE EMPLOYEE'S WORK HOURS, TO PROVIDE THAT AN EMPLOYEE WITH THE CONSENT OF HIS EMPLOYER MAY BE GRANTED UP TO TWELVE HOURS OF PAID LEAVE EACH YEAR DURING THE EMPLOYEE'S WORK HOURS TO ENGAGE IN CERTAIN VOLUNTEER TEACHING ACTIVITIES IN SUCH SCHOOLS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE EMPLOYERS OF THESE EMPLOYEES ARE ENTITLED TO STATE INCOME OR PREMIUM TAX CREDITS FOR THESE ACTIVITIES, AND TO PROVIDE THAT PROCEDURES NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-1-456. (A) An employee who is a parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled in grades K-12 in a public, private, or church school of this State is entitled to not more than eight hours of paid leave each calendar year during the employee's work hours for the purpose of attending school conferences, activities, or meetings regarding the child or regarding pupils at the school. The provisions of this section authorize paid leave for parental visitation or activities suggested pursuant to Section 59-1-454 but do not authorize paid leave to an employee to attend interscholastic activities including athletic events for which the child must meet the requirements of Section 59-39-160 in order to participate. For purposes of this section, a parent is defined as a custodial parent or a noncustodial parent if the applicable court decree grants to or imposes on the noncustodial parent the right or obligation to supervise the child's school performance and activities.
(B) An employee who has expertise in a particular profession or subject may volunteer or be requested to discuss or teach this profession or subject in any public, private, or church school which offers grades K-12. Upon request of the school officials concerned or upon acceptance of his offer by the appropriate school officials, the employee may receive not more than twelve hours of paid leave each year during the employee's work hours for the purpose of discussing or teaching this profession or subject in that school.
(C)(1) An employer must grant an employee the paid leave required by subsection (A) although the exact times and dates of the leave may be scheduled at the convenience of the employer where the time or date of the conference, activity, or meeting can be adjusted. Where the time or date of the conference, activity, or meeting cannot be adjusted in the opinion of the school officials concerned, the employer must grant the paid leave to the employee at its scheduled time.
(2) An employer is not required to grant the paid leave provided by subsection (B), and the employee must secure the permission of his employer before he may undertake these activities on employer time.
(3) The paid leave provided by subsections (A) and (B) is in addition to any other leave time to which the employee is entitled either as granted by his employer or as required by law.
(4) An employee in a calendar year is limited to a total of twelve hours paid leave under both subsections (A) and (B). This paid leave may be in any combination of the leave authorized by subsections (A) and (B) provided that in no event is more than eight hours paid leave under subsection (A) authorized.
(D) Employers of employees who take paid leave under subsections (A) and (B) are entitled to a credit against its state income or premium tax liability in any calendar year equal to ten dollars per employee per hour of paid leave taken for that year for this purpose. Tax credits not used in any year may be carried forward for the next five succeeding years.
(E) For purposes of documenting the paid leave of an employee in order to claim the tax credits authorized by this section, the school concerned shall issue a certificate to the employee which shall include, but is not limited to, the date and time of the activity, the type of activity involved, the hours the employee attended, the name and address of the employee and employer, and a statement that to the best of its information and belief, the activity qualifies for the tax credits authorized by this section. These certificates so issued must be returned to and maintained by the employer in order to be eligible to claim the tax credits authorized this section.
(F) The State Department of Education and the Department of Revenue and Taxation shall promulgate those regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.