A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-103-12 SO AS TO CREATE A MANDATORY ORIENTATION TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NEW MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM, TO REQUIRE THE CREATION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMISSION MEMBERS, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Article 1, Chapter 103, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 59-103-12. (A) New commissioners on the Commission on Higher Education board shall participate, at least once during their first year of membership, in a board orientation program. The board orientation program must be designed to address the role, duties, and responsibilities of the commission members.

    (B) The Executive Director for the Commission on Higher Education, in consultation with relevant staff and external stakeholders, shall develop a comprehensive board orientation program for new members of the commission as well as develop continuing education opportunities for all continuing members of the commission.

    (C) The orientation program and training must include, but is not limited to:

       (1) methods for meeting the statutory, regulatory, and fiduciary obligations of the commission;

       (2) commission members' duty to this State, with particular attention to their respective applicable statutory and regulatory authority;

       (3) information concerning the roles of the governing bodies and their members;

       (4) the state goals for higher education pursuant to Section 59-103-15;

       (5) an overview of all relevant statutory and regulatory sections regarding need-based scholarships and grants and merit-based scholarships and grants funded through the South Carolina Education Lottery;

       (6) a summary of the relevant statutory sections governing the commission found in this chapter;

       (7) the fiduciary duties and responsibilities of governing bodies;

       (8) the requirements of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act;

       (9) ethical considerations arising from membership on a governing body, including the South Carolina Ethics Act;

       (10) current and future national and state issues in higher education; and

       (11) any other training topics the executive director considers necessary or appropriate.

    (D) The orientation program and training must include at least six hours of education and instruction for the new commission members. The training may be completed in one block or broken up over the course of a fiscal year, provided that a new commission member shall complete the full six hours of training within the first twelve months after his appointment to the commission.

    (E) The executive director for the commission shall report annually to the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee and the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee the number of hours of training and development that each member of the commission received during the preceding fiscal year.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect on July 1, 2026.

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