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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
AS PASSED BY THE SENATE
April 25, 2000
H. 4650
Introduced by Reps. Hamilton, W. McLeod, Easterday, Leach and F. Smith
S. Printed 4/25/00--S. [SEC 4/26/00 1:22 PM]
Read the first time March 30, 2000.
TO AMEND SECTION 59-149-50, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR A LIFE SCHOLARSHIP, SO AS TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT STUDENTS MUST PASS ALL COURSES REQUIRED FOR A STAR DIPLOMA; TO REPEAL SECTIONS 59-39-105 AND 59-39-190 RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND THE PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS FOR THE STAR DIPLOMA; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 59-103-175, RELATING TO INCLUDING STAR DIPLOMA INFORMATION IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HIGHER EDUCATION AWARENESS COUNSELING, ALL SO AS TO REPEAL THE STAR DIPLOMA PROGRAM.
Amend Title To Conform
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 59-149-50 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 418 of 1998, is amended to read:
"Section 59-149-50. (A) 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). 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. 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) 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 2. Section 59-149-90 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 418 of 1998, is amended to read:
"Section 59-149-90. (A) Students must not have been adjudicated delinquent or been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any alcohol or drug related offenses under the laws of this or any other state or under the laws of the United States in order to be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, except that a student who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to an alcohol or drug related misdemeanor offense is ineligible only for one calendar year after the adjudication, conviction, or plea occurred.
(B) Regardless of the number of hours attempted, once the student has earned a bachelor's degree, he is ineligible for a LIFE Scholarship to seek another degree.
(C) All students who earn a LIFE Scholarship under this chapter or the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship shall be recognized at graduation from high school with a certificate issued by the Department of Education."
SECTION 3. A. Section 59-104-20 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 458 of 1996, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-104-20. The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Program is established to foster scholarship among the state's post-secondary students and retain outstanding South Carolina high school graduates in the State through awards based on scholarship and achievement. Measures must be taken to ensure equitable minority participation in this program. Recipients of these scholarships are designated Palmetto Fellows. Each Palmetto Fellow shall receive a scholarship in an amount designated by the Commission on Higher Education. The commission shall promulgate regulations and establish procedures to administer the program and request annual state appropriations for the program.
Students, either new or continuing, must not have been adjudicated delinquent or been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any alcohol or drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state or under the laws of the United States in order to be eligible for a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, except that a high school or college student otherwise qualified who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to an alcohol- or drug-related misdemeanor offense nevertheless shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for such scholarships after the expiration of one academic year from the date of the adjudication, conviction, or plea."
B. Section 59-113-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 59-113-20. The State of South Carolina shall grant an amount, as provided in this chapter, to any applicant who meets the following qualifications:
(a) has been a resident of South Carolina for at least one year;
(b) is of good moral character;
(c) has demonstrated qualities of academic merit and financial need;
(d) has been accepted by or is registered in a South Carolina independent institution of higher learning as a full-time student whose academic programs are not comprised solely of sectarian instruction; and
(e) is not enrolled in a course of study leading to a degree in theology, divinity, or religious education; and
(f) has not been adjudicated delinquent or been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any alcohol- or drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state or under the laws of the United States in order to be eligible for a South Carolina tuition grant, except that a high school or college student otherwise qualified who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to an alcohol- or drug-related misdemeanor offense nevertheless shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for such grants after the expiration of one academic year from the date of the adjudication, conviction, or plea."
C. Section 59-142-10 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 155 of 1997, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-142-10. (A) The State shall fund a need-based grant for a student who enrolls as an undergraduate in a public institution of higher learning in this State, who applies for the need-based grant, and who meets the following qualifications:
(1) meets domicile requirements, as defined in Section 59-112-20, with the additional requirement of at least twelve consecutive months of residency in the State of South Carolina immediately preceding enrollment;
(2) is accepted by and enrolled or registered in a state public institution of higher learning as a first degree full-time or part-time student in a certificate, or diploma of at least one year in length, or undergraduate degree program;
(3) is of good moral character and has never been convicted of a felony; and;
(4) has not been adjudicated delinquent or been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any alcohol- or drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state or under the laws of the United States in order to be eligible for a South Carolina need-based grant, except that a high school or college student otherwise qualified who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to an alcohol- or drug-related misdemeanor offense nevertheless shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for such grants after the expiration of one academic year from the date of the adjudication, conviction, or plea; and
(5) is found to be in financial need according to federal Title IV regulations.
(B) To maintain continued eligibility for the state need-based grants, once enrolled a student shall:
(1) complete a minimum of twenty-four semester hours an academic year if a full-time student and twelve semester hours an academic year if a part-time student and make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree as determined by the institution;
(2) have no criminal record have not been adjudicated delinquent or been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any alcohol- or drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state or under the laws of the United States in order to be eligible for a South Carolina need-based grant, except that a high school or college student otherwise qualified who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to an alcohol- or drug-related misdemeanor offense nevertheless shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for such grants after the expiration of one academic year from the date of the adjudication, conviction, or plea; and
(3) be eligible for the need-based grants for a maximum of four academic years of two semesters."
D. Section 59-149-90(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 100 of 1999, is further amended to read:
"(A) Students must not have been adjudicated delinquent or been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any alcohol- or drug related drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state or under the laws of the United States in order to be eligible for a LIFE Scholarship, except that a high school or college student otherwise qualified who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to an alcohol- or drug related drug-related misdemeanor offense is ineligible only for one calendar year after the adjudication, conviction, or plea occurred nevertheless shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for such scholarships after the expiration of one academic year from the date of the adjudication, conviction, or plea."
E. This section takes effect upon approval by the Governor; however, students receiving Palmetto Fellows Scholarships, Tuition Grants or Need-based Grants adjudicated delinquent, convicted, or plead guilty to any alcohol- or drug-related misdemeanors prior to July 1, 2000, shall not be penalized under this section.
SECTION 4. Section 59-118-30(1) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 419, Part II, Section 59A of 1998, is further amended to read:
"(1) 'Qualifying college or university' means a state-supported, post-secondary, four-year educational institution offering undergraduate, master, or doctoral degree programs, and also includes a technical college under the jurisdiction of the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education, and a regional campus of the University of South Carolina."
SECTION 5. Sections 59-39-105, 59-39-190, and 59-103-175 of the 1976 Code are repealed.
SECTION 6. Except as otherwise provided, this act takes effect July 1, 2000.
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