House Amendment 11
H 5164 - Session 125 (2023-2024)
Education Scholarship Trust Fund
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Rep. Ott proposes the following amendment (LC-5164.WAB0020H):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by adding an appropriately numbered SECTION to read:

SECTION X. Section 59-8-150(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (A) To ensure equitable treatment and personal safety of all scholarship students, all education service providers shall:
  (1) comply with all applicable health and safety laws or codes;
  (2) hold a valid occupancy permit if required by the municipality in which the education service provider is located;
  (3) not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin. This item shall not be interpreted to preclude any independent or religious educational provider from exercising an exemption allowed under federal law; and
  (4) conduct criminal background checks on employees and exclude from employment anyone who:
   (a) is not permitted by state law to work in a school;
   (b) reasonably might pose a threat to the safety of students; or
   (c) is listed on federal, state, or other central child abuse registries; and
  (5) not include or promote in a course of instruction, curriculum, assignment, instructional program, instructional material (including primary or supplemental materials, whether in print, digital, or online), surveys or questionnaires, or professional educator development or training, nor require a student, employee, or volunteer to affirm, accept, adopt, or adhere to prohibited concepts such as: 
   (a) one race, sex, ethnicity, color, or national origin is inherently superior to another race, sex, ethnicity, color, or national origin;
   (b) an individual, by virtue of the race, sex, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin of the individual, inherently is privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously;
   (c) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment because of the race, sex, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin of the individual;
   (d) the moral character of an individual is determined by the race, sex, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin of the individual;
   (e) an individual, by virtue of the race or sex of the individual, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, sex, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin;
   (f) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic:
    (i) are racist, sexist, belong to the principles of one religion; or
    (ii) were created by members of a particular race, sex, or religion to oppress members of another race, sex, ethnicity, color, national origin, or religion; and
   (g) fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to race, sex, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin, or to members of a race, sex, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin because of their race, sex, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin.