S*0154(Rat #0045, Act #0024 of 2015)  General Bill, By Shealy and Campsen
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-39-160, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES, SO AS TO
 PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY GRANT A WAIVER OF THE REQUIREMENTS IF
 A STUDENT'S INELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES IS DUE
 TO A LONG-TERM ABSENCE AS A RESULT OF A MEDICAL CONDITION, BUT THE STUDENT HAS
 BEEN MEDICALLY CLEARED TO PARTICIPATE OR FOR ANY OTHER REASONABLE CIRCUMSTANCE
 AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. - ratified title

   12/03/14  Senate Prefiled
   12/03/14  Senate Referred to Committee on Education
   01/13/15  Senate Introduced and read first time
                     (Senate Journal-page 106)
   01/13/15  Senate Referred to Committee on Education
                     (Senate Journal-page 106)
   01/27/15  Senate Committee report: Favorable Education
                     (Senate Journal-page 17)
   01/28/15         Scrivener's error corrected
   01/28/15  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 32)
   01/28/15  Senate Roll call Ayes-39  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 32)
   01/29/15  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 10)
   02/03/15  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 25)
   02/03/15  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 25)
   04/23/15  House  Committee report: Favorable Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 10)
   04/28/15         Scrivener's error corrected
   04/28/15  House  Debate adjourned until Thur., 4-30-15
                     (House Journal-page 78)
   04/30/15  House  Debate adjourned until Tues., 5-5-15
                     (House Journal-page 12)
   05/05/15  House  Requests for debate-Rep(s). Hiott, GM Smith,
                     Spires, Wells, Clary, Sottile, Kirby, Anderson,
                     Cyburn, Corley, McEachern, Douglas, Cobb-Hunter,
                     McKnight, Ridgeway, Hayes, Daning, Crosby,
                     Anthony, Bales, Southard, Jefferson
                     (House Journal-page 26)
   05/07/15  House  Debate adjourned until Wed., 5-13-15
                     (House Journal-page 57)
   05/13/15  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 30)
   05/13/15  House  Roll call Yeas-98  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 30)
   05/14/15  House  Read third time and enrolled (House Journal-page 22)
   05/28/15         Ratified R 45
   06/01/15         Signed By Governor
   06/04/15         Effective date 06/01/15
   06/05/15         Act No. 24

(A24, R45, S154)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-39-160, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY GRANT A WAIVER OF THE REQUIREMENTS IF A STUDENT'S INELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES IS DUE TO A LONG-TERM ABSENCE AS A RESULT OF A MEDICAL CONDITION, BUT THE STUDENT HAS BEEN MEDICALLY CLEARED TO PARTICIPATE OR FOR ANY OTHER REASONABLE CIRCUMSTANCE AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

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

Waivers expanded

SECTION    1.    Section 59-39-160 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section    59-39-160.    (A)    To participate in interscholastic activities, students in grades nine through twelve must achieve an overall passing average and either:

(1)    pass at least four academic courses, including each unit the student takes that is required for graduation; or

(2)    pass a total of five academic courses. Students must satisfy these conditions in the semester preceding participation in the interscholastic activity, if the interscholastic activity occurs completely within one semester or in the semester preceding the first semester of participation in an interscholastic activity if the interscholastic activity occurs over two consecutive semesters and is under the jurisdiction of the South Carolina High School League.

(B)    Academic courses are those courses of instruction for which credit toward high school graduation is given. These may be required or approved electives. All activities currently under the jurisdiction of the South Carolina High School League remain in effect. The monitoring of all other interscholastic activities is the responsibility of the local boards of trustees. Those students diagnosed as handicapped in accordance with the criteria established by the State Board of Education and satisfying the requirements of their Individual Education Plan (IEP) as required by Public Law 94-142 are permitted to participate in interscholastic activities. A local school board of trustees may impose more stringent standards than those contained in this section for participation in interscholastic activities by students in grades nine through twelve.

(C)    The State Board of Education may grant a waiver of the requirements of this section.

(1)    This waiver may be granted when a written statement from a school district superintendent and athletic director has been received stating circumstances, including, but not limited to:

(a)    a student's ineligibility to participate in interscholastic activities is due to misinformation concerning eligibility requirements being provided by district personnel;

(b)    a student's ineligibility to participate in interscholastic activities is due to a long-term absence as a result of a medical condition, but the student has been medically cleared to participate by his health care practitioner; or

(c)    any reasonable circumstance as determined by the State Board of Education.

(2)    The State Board of Education shall establish guidelines to administer this section."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 28th day of May, 2015.

Approved the 1st day of June, 2015.