Senators CLIMER, KIMBRELL, and LEBER proposes the following amendment (SR-62.CEM0036S):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-8-110(2), (3) and (4) and inserting:

 (2) "Eligible student" means a student who is a resident of this State. "Education Scholarship Trust Fund", "ESTF", or "fund" means the individual account that is administered by the department to which funds are allocated to the parent of an eligible student to pay for qualifying expenses.
 (3) "Eligible school" means a South Carolina public school or an independent school that chooses to participate in the program. "Eligible school" does not include a charter school.
 (4) "Eligible student" means a student who:
  (a) is a resident of this State;
  (b)(i) attended a public school in this State during the previous school year;
   (ii) had not yet attained the age of five on or before September first of the previous school year but who has attained the age of five on or before September of the current school year; or
   (iii) received a scholarship pursuant to this chapter for the previous school year; and
  (c)(i) in school year 2024-2025, has a household income that does not exceed two hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines;
   (ii) in School Year 2025-2026, has a household income that does not exceed three hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines; and
   (iii) in School Year 2026-2027 and all subsequent years, has a household income that does not exceed four hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines.  (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a student attending his resident school may be an eligible student if he meets all other eligibility criteria and the Department of Education has certified the district in which the resident school is located can not adequately provide for an essential service to the student.
  "Eligible student" does not include students participating in the Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children's Fund program, as provided in Section 12-6-3790.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-8-115(A) and inserting:

 (A) The department shall create a standard application process and establish the timeline for parents to establish the eligibility of their student for the Education Scholarship Trust Fund programK-12 Education Lottery Scholarship program. The application window established shall last at least forty-five days, opening no earlier than January fifteenth and closing no later than March fifteenth each calendar year. The department shall continue to accept applications for the lottery scholarship program on a rolling basis. until capacity is met and then shall maintain a waitlist to maximize program participation.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-8-115(B)(2) and inserting:

  (2) enroll and issue award letters within thirty days of the deadline for receipt of completed applications and all required documentation a priority window must be given first to current participants of this program, for the 2025-2026 School Year this means a participant of the Education Scholarship Trust Fund, who continue to reside in the State, followed by a second tiered priority window to siblings of current participants and a third and subsequent tiered priority window shall be open to new program participants that have a household income that does not exceed three hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines;

Amend the bill further, by deleting SECTION 6.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.