Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format
A102, R155, S726
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Grooms, McGill, Rankin, Cleary, Reese, Bryant, Alexander, O'Dell, Verdin, Ford, Williams, McConnell, Short, Knotts, Land, Setzler, Malloy, Leatherman, Jackson, Hayes, Scott, Peeler, Sheheen, Thomas, Ryberg, Patterson, Vaughn, Fair, Hutto, Pinckney, Gregory, Moore, Anderson, Drummond, Hawkins, Campsen, Courson, Cromer, Matthews, Ritchie and Martin
Document Path: l:\s-res\lkg\005bibl.kmm.doc
Introduced in the Senate on May 1, 2007
Introduced in the House on May 29, 2007
Passed by the General Assembly on June 7, 2007
Governor's Action: June 18, 2007, Signed
Summary: Teaching history and literature of Old Testament and New Testament
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5/1/2007 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
5/1/2007 Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-6
5/23/2007 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education
SJ-50
5/24/2007 Senate Committee Amendment Amended and Adopted SJ-63
5/24/2007 Senate Read second time SJ-63
5/24/2007 Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative
day SJ-63
5/25/2007 Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-3
5/29/2007 House Introduced and read first time HJ-10
5/29/2007 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works HJ-11
5/31/2007 House Committee report: Favorable Education and Public Works
HJ-3
6/5/2007 House Debate adjourned HJ-39
6/6/2007 House Requests for debate-Rep(s). Scott, Ott, Govan,
Cobb-Hunter, Weeks, Hosey, Walker, and Whitmire HJ-13
6/6/2007 House Requests for debate removed-Rep(s). Ott, Whitmire, and
Weeks HJ-21
6/6/2007 House Read second time HJ-70
6/6/2007 House Roll call Yeas-97 Nays-10 HJ-75
6/7/2007 House Read third time and enrolled HJ-74
6/12/2007 Ratified R 155
6/18/2007 Signed By Governor
6/21/2007 Copies available
6/21/2007 Effective date 06/18/07
6/27/2007 Act No. 102
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
5/1/2007
5/23/2007
5/24/2007
5/31/2007
(A102, R155, S726)
AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 29, TITLE 59, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SUBJECTS OF INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-230 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY OFFER AN ELECTIVE COURSE TEACHING THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ERA AND AN ELECTIVE COURSE TEACHING THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ERA; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COURSES MUST BE TAUGHT IN AN OBJECTIVE MANNER WITH NO ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE STUDENTS AS TO THE TRUTH OR FALSITY OF THE MATERIALS PRESENTED; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MUST DEVELOP AND ADOPT ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE COURSES; AND TO PROVIDE FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE CLASSES BY THE LOCAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Old and New Testament era courses
SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-29-230. (A)(1) A school district board of trustees may authorize, to be taught in the district's high schools, an elective course concerning the history and literature of the Old Testament era and an elective course concerning the history and literature of the New Testament era.
(2) Each course offered must be taught in an objective manner with no attempt to influence the students as to either the truth or falsity of the materials presented.
(3) Students must be awarded the same number of Carnegie units that are awarded to other classes of similar duration.
(4) A particular version of the Old or New Testament to be used in either course may be recommended by the board of trustees; provided, that the teacher of the course and students enrolled in the course may use any version of the Old and New Testaments.
(B) The board of trustees of a district that offers a course pursuant to this section must:
(1) maintain supervision and control of the course;
(2) hire any new teachers that it determines are required to teach the course in the same manner all other teachers are hired;
(3) assure that all teachers teaching the course are certified by the State; and
(4) make no inquiry into the religious beliefs, or the lack of religious beliefs, held by a teacher when determining which teacher shall teach the class.
(C) The State Board of Education shall develop and adopt academic standards and appropriate instructional materials that must be used by high schools offering a course pursuant to this section. These academic standards and instructional materials must ensure that the courses do not disparage or encourage a commitment to a set of religious beliefs.
(D) The academic standards and appropriate instructional materials developed and adopted by the board must:
(1) be designed to help students gain a greater appreciation of the Old Testament and the New Testament as great works of literature, art, and music; assist students in gaining greater insight into the many historical events recorded in the Old Testament and the New Testament; and provide students with a greater awareness of the many social customs that the Old Testament and the New Testament have significantly influenced; and
(2) provide that the Old Testament is the primary text for the course exploring the history and literature of the Old Testament era and that the New Testament is the primary text for the course exploring the history and literature of the New Testament era.
(E) The academic standards developed and adopted may provide that students may be assigned period-appropriate secular historical and literary works to supplement the primary text."
Severability
SECTION 2. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act, and each and every section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.
Time effective
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 12th day of June, 2007.
Approved the 18th day of June, 2007.
This web page was last updated on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 3:32 P.M.