Current Status Bill Number:4431 Ratification Number:516 Act Number:429 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:19960111 Primary Sponsor:Townsend All Sponsors:Townsend, P. Harris, Huff, H. Brown, Cooper and Stille Drafted Document Number:gjk\22188sd.96 Companion Bill Number:1059 Residing Body:19960530 Date of Last Amendment:19960530 Governor's Action:U Became law without signature of Governor Date of Governor's Action:19960620 Subject:Autism, weighting for pupils with
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________
------ 19960626 Act No. A429
------ 19960620 Unsigned, became law without
signature of Governor
------ 19960613 Ratified R516
House 19960530 Ordered enrolled for ratification
Senate 19960530 Conference Committee Report adopted 88 SCC
House 19960530 Conference Committee Report adopted 98 HCC
House 19960529 Conference powers granted, 98 HCC Littlejohn
appointed Reps. to Committee of Allison
Conference Townsend
Senate 19960529 Senator appointed to Committee 88 SCC Short
of Conference
Senate 19960529 Senator withdrawn from Committee 88 SCC Cork
of Conference
Senate 19960529 Conference powers granted, 88 SCC Cork
appointed Senators to Committee Gregory
of Conference Fair
Senate 19960529 Insists upon amendment
House 19960523 Non-concurrence in Senate amendment
Senate 19960522 Read third time, returned to House
with amendment
Senate 19960521 Amended, read second time,
unanimous consent for third reading
on Wednesday, 19960522
Senate 19960521 Reconsidered vote whereby
read second time and ordered to
third reading
Senate 19960521 Amended, read second time,
unanimous consent for third reading
on Wednesday, 19960522
Senate 19960516 Committee report: Favorable with 04 SED
amendment
Senate 19960424 Introduced, read first time, 04 SED
referred to Committee
House 19960424 Read third time, sent to Senate
House 19960423 Read second time
House 19960418 Committee report: Favorable 21 HEPW
House 19960111 Introduced, read first time, 21 HEPW
referred to Committee
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
(A429, R516, H4431)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-20-40, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DETERMINATION OF ALLOCATIONS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS UNDER THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT AND WEIGHTINGS TO ESTABLISH COST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROGRAMS, SO AS TO ADD PUPILS WITH AUTISM UNDER THE HANDICAPPED CLASSIFICATION; TO AMEND SECTION 59-21-510, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN REGARD TO THE EDUCATION OF PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, SO AS TO DEFINE "PUPILS WITH AUTISM"; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW PROGRAMS TO SERVE STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND TO RECOMMEND AN APPROPRIATE WEIGHT FOR THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT; AND TO ADD SECTION 59-65-47 SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH PARENTS OR GUARDIANS MAY TEACH THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Pupils with autism added
SECTION 1. Section 59-20-40(1)(c)(7) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 135 of 1993, is further amended to read:
"(7) Handicapped 2.57
a. Visually handicapped pupils
b. Hearing handicapped pupils
c. pupils with autism."
Definition of pupils with autism
SECTION 2. Section 59-21-510 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a new item to read:
"(11) `Pupils with autism' means pupils with a severe and chronic disorder that affects communication and behavior and which is manifested during early development by a characteristic pattern of social, communication, and learning behaviors. Autism is a behaviorally defined syndrome; the essential features of which include disturbances of: developmental rates or sequences; response to sensory stimuli; speech, language, and communication; and capacities to relate to people, objects, and events."
Task force established
SECTION 3. The Department of Education shall convene a task force of special education directors, district administrators, and parents of pupils with autism to review district reports on program costs to serve students with autism and to recommend an appropriate weight for the Education Finance Act. The findings of the task force shall be reported by the Department of Education to the Ways and Means Committee and Education and Public Works Committee of the House and the Finance Committee and Education Committee of the Senate no later than December 1, 1996.
Home schooling
SECTION 4. Chapter 65 of Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-65-47. In lieu of the requirements of Section 59-65-40 or Section 59-65-45, parents or guardians may teach their children at home if the instruction is conducted under the auspices of an association for home schools which has no fewer than fifty members and meets the requirements of this section. Bona fide membership and continuing compliance with the academic standards of the associations exempts the home school from the further requirements of Section 59-65-40 or Section 59-65-45.
The State Department of Education shall conduct annually a review of the association standards to ensure that requirements of the association, at a minimum, include:
(a) a parent must hold at least a high school diploma or the equivalent general educational development (GED) certificate;
(b) the instructional year is at least one hundred eighty days;
(c) the curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature; and
(d) educational records shall be maintained by the parent-teacher and include:
(1) a plan book, diary, or other record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the student and parent-teacher engage;
(2) a portfolio of samples of the student's academic work; and
(3) a semiannual progress report including attendance records and individualized documentation of the student's academic progress in each of the basic instructional areas specified in item (c) above.
By January thirtieth of each year, all associations shall report the number and grade level of children home schooled through the association to the children's respective school districts."
Time effective
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 6/20/96.