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TO AMEND SECTION 59-25-115, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO AN APPLICANT FOR INITIAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATION BEING REQUIRED TO UNDERGO A STATE FINGERPRINT REVIEW, SO AS TO REVISE THE TIME WHEN THE APPLICANT SHALL UNDERGO THE REVIEW, THE MANNER OF THE REVIEW, AND THE INDIVIDUALS TO WHOM THIS PROVISION APPLIES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 59-25-115 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 387 of 1990, is amended to read:
"Section 59-25-115. (A) All persons applying for initial certification to become certified education personnel in this State shall undergo a state fingerprint review to be conducted by the State Law Enforcement Division to determine any state criminal history and a fingerprint review to be conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine any other criminal history.
The fee charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, if any, for the fingerprint review must be paid by the individual applying for initial certification. A person enrolled in a teacher education program, before beginning full-time clinical teaching experience in this State, shall undergo a state criminal records check by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and a national criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(B) An applicant for initial teacher certification shall undergo a criminal records check by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and a national criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation during the eighteen months immediately before the application for teacher certification.
(C) The person being fingerprinted shall pay the fee charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the fingerprint review.
(D) An institution of higher learning in this State offering education as a major must inform each potential education major considering teaching as a career that his previous criminal history could prevent his certification as a teacher in South Carolina. A student may then choose to have a SLED background check for advisement purposes."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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