Goals and Governance

The State of South Carolina establishes an overall statewide workforce readiness goal of at least sixty percent of all workingage South Carolinians having a postsecondary degree or recognized industry credentials before the year 2030. This goal is consistent with all students graduating and having the knowledge, skills, and characteristics contained in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.

A "Student Bill of Rights" is established to enumerate basic expectations including: students should expect that the General Assembly, Governor, State Superintendent of Education, State Board of Education, local school boards, local superintendents, principals, teachers, and parents to focus on improving education, and creating a system that puts them first; students should feel safe and secure in school; students should have educational choice; and the ability to challenge unfair treatment. These provisions do not create or imply a private cause of action for a violation.

A "Teacher Bill of Rights" is established to enumerate those things that all certified public school teachers in South Carolina should be able to expect. These include: working in an environment conducive to learning; the inclusion of their discretion with regard to disciplinary and instructional decisions; freedom from frivolous lawsuits, planning time; a competitive salary; no unnecessary paperwork; support from school administration. These provisions do not create or imply a private cause of action for a violation.

Provisions are made for the South Carolina Teacher of the Year and a public school student appointed by the Governor to serve as non-voting advisory members of the State Board of Education.

Special Council on Revitalizing Education

The legislation establishes within the Office of the Governor the Special Council on Revitalizing Education (SCORE) which is created to: (1) monitor the state education and workforce pipeline to continually determine the education and training levels required by the state's employers; (2) identify and recommend improvements regarding efficiency and cooperation of agencies and programs throughout the education and workforce pipeline; and (3) report findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on a continuous basis.

The Governor serves as the chairman of the ten-member council. The Governor may, however, delegate the position of chairman and SCORE duties to the Lieutenant Governor. The other council members are appointed to five-year terms, with SCORE being composed of: (a) three members appointed by the Governor; (b) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House; (c) one member appointed by the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee; (d) one member appointed by the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee; (e) one member appointed by the President of the Senate; (f) one member appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee; and (g) one member appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. Council members may not concurrently serve as a member of the General Assembly. Appointed members must have a background in early childhood education, K12 education, higher education, business, workforce development, or economic development. Two council members, one from the appointees allotted the House of Representatives and the other from the appointees allotted the Senate, must be current or retired highlyeffective teachers. A member of the council may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

The Governor shall hire an executive director who must possess a background in at least one of the following: early childhood education, K12 education, higher education, business, workforce development, or economic development.

Before October 1, 2021, the council shall establish a series of benchmarks that must include, but are not limited to the following:

(1) access to quality early learning, as determined by the council, including the number of three and fouryear old children in quality earlylearning settings;

(2) third grade reading proficiency, including the percentage of third grade students who score ‘Meets' or ‘Exceeds Expectations' on the SC Ready assessment, or its successor;

(3) eighth grade mathematics, including the percentage of eighth grade students who score ‘Meets' or ‘Exceeds Expectations' on the SC Ready assessment, or its successor;

(4) high school graduation rates, including the percentages of students who graduated in four and five years;

(5) youth nonparticipation, including the percentage of South Carolina residents between sixteen and eighteen years of age who are not going to school on the secondary level or in adult education, not in the military, or not otherwise working;

(6) posthigh school enrollment, including the percentage of South Carolina high school graduates who are in postsecondary education the semester after graduation from high school or are gainfully employed; and

(7) posthigh school education attainment, including the percentage of South Carolina residents ages twentytwo through sixtyfive who have completed a twoor fouryear degree, or have received a nationally recognized certification as determined by the Department of Commerce.

With assistance and consultation from the Department of Administration, the council is charged with creating and maintaining a publicly accessible website that reports the benchmark information, explains the benchmarks, and provides an annual update to show the state's progress toward meeting each goal.

Beginning in 2021, the council is required to make an annual comprehensive report to the Governor and General Assembly that specifically identifies areas within the education and workforce pipeline where state agencies and other publically funded entities are failing to meet the benchmarks. The council shall provide recommendations regarding ways that state and local efforts can be improved, ways that collaboration and cooperation among state and local agencies and resources can be increased, and efforts underway or being considered in other states that address the noted areas of concern. The council also shall recommend legislation it considers necessary.

Enhancements to Academic Rigor to Improve Student Preparation

Computer Science and Mathematics Coursework and Incentives

The State Board of Education is charged with conducting, at least every five years, a cyclical review of grade appropriate standards for computer science, computational thinking, and computer coding for grades kindergarten through grade twelve.

No later than the beginning of the 20202021 School Year, each public high school and public charter high school must offer at least one rigorous, standardsbased computer science course. The course is to be made available in a traditional classroom setting, in a dualenrollment course, blendedlearning environment, onlinebased, or other technologybased format tailored to meet the needs of each participating student.

Beginning in the 20202021 School Year, the Department of Education shall:

(1) employ one experienced fulltime employee whose sole responsibility is to coordinate and lead the South Carolina Computer Science Education Initiative;

(2) support K12 academic and computer science teachers in designing interdisciplinary, projectbased instruction and assignments that engage students in applying literacy, math, and computational thinking skills to solve problems;

(3) design career pathways that connect students to postsecondary programs, degrees, or postsecondary credentials in such high demand career fields as cybersecurity, information systems, informatics, graphic design, computer engineering, and software development;

(4) offer professional development and teacher endorsements to new teachers who will teach computer science;

(5) provide information and materials which identify emerging career opportunities in computer science and related fields to parents, students, teachers, and guidance counselors; and

(6) assist districts in developing partnerships with business, industry, higher education, and communities to provide afterschool and extracurricular activities that engage students in computer science.

By August 1, 2021, the State Department of Education shall develop a technology plan that addresses wireless Internet access for all public schools and must provide a report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate.

Statewide Assessment Program Revisions

The legislation removes summative assessments not required by federal accountability law. This includes eliminating the eighth grade science assessment, all grades 3-8 social studies assessments, and the United States History end-of-course assessment.

Early Childhood

The Office of First Steps and the State Department of Education (SDE) must provide a report to the General Assembly regarding how to increase the number of children attending state-funded four-year-old kindergarten programs.

Read to Succeed Initiative Enhancements

The State Board of Education is charged with approving no more than five reliable and valid early literacy and numeracy screening assessment instruments for selection and use by school districts in kindergarten through third grade.

Assessments must be given at the beginning of the school year. For students who need additional assistance, the screening will also occur during the middle and end of the school year. Assessment results must be reported to the State Department of Education which is responsible for monitoring student progress.

Read to Succeed are revised to require that districts provide appropriate in-class intervention until all students are at grade level.

Students are to be retained if their SC Ready scores are at the "Does Not Meet" level. This is more rigorous than the current "Not Met 1" level.

The reading portfolio exemption for retention is strengthened.

When exemptions from retention are granted because of appeals by students' parents or guardians, school districts are required to report on the number of appeals made, the number granted, and the outcome of the students whose appeals are successful.

More specific job duties and position requirements are established for reading coaches.

The State Department of Education must screen and approve reading coaches for districts where more than one-third of the students score at the lowest achievement level.

Early childhood, elementary, and special education teachers must pass a test regarding reading instruction before they can be certified.

Professional development required for compliance with Read to Succeed must be offered at no cost by the school districts.

The Commission on Higher Education and the Learning Disorders Taskforce are charged with examining the effectiveness of teacher education programs in regard to diagnosing and assisting students with reading difficulties.

Transition into Higher Education and Workforce Opportunities

The legislation provides for an expansion of dual enrollment opportunities so that students who want to go to college already have at least one year of college credit by creating a uniform, statewide credit articulation agreement between K-12 and higher education. The Advisory Committee on Academic Programs is required to develop a statewide dual enrollment articulation agreement that will replace all locally created agreements between K-12 and higher education.

Students desiring an Education Lottery scholarship must, in addition to existing requirements, take a math and English course during their senior year of high school to maintain these skills prior to entering college.

The legislation emphasizes an accountability system that should let parents know if schools are successful in preparing students for eventual success in college or on the job. To further this effort, the State Department of Education must continuously monitor student progress in grades K-12, and provide parents and students with lexile and quantile scores derived from assessments. In addition to using Lexile and Quantile scores, high school equivalency assessment thresholds may also serve as common admission scores to technical colleges. A test in an English/language arts and mathematics course may be used to satisfy the requirement. A test for every course is not required.

The legislation revises and updates the Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA). The State Department of Education, the Technical College System, the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Employment and Workforce must collaborate to ensure that workforce needs are aligned with career pathways and K-12 curriculum.

High schools or career centers must have a minimum of three career pathways, with at least one pathway in a high-skill, high-demand area. Pathways must be reviewed every three years and updated as needed. School districts must coordinate with each other to ensure student access to multiple pathways. Upon Department approval of bus routes, districts may provide transportation for students.

The State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education (SBTCE) must establish, and technical colleges must recognize, common admission scores. (Scores may be differentiated for certain programs of study.) Students who do not meet the minimum admission score should be encouraged to enter a noncredit program that awards a national recognized business or industry credential. Education Lottery Tuition Assistance is available for individuals who enroll in a noncredit, credential awarding program provided they enroll within seven years of the first time they entered the ninth grade.

Incentives for Teachers and Educator Development and Satisfaction

The state's minimum teacher salary is increased to thirtyfive thousand dollars.

The legislation provides that no tuition may be charged for a period of four school years by any statesupported college or university or any statesupported vocational or technical school for children of fulltime certified classroom teachers with at least five years of teaching service who are employed in schools that have an absolute rating of unsatisfactory for at least three of the previous four years. The teacher must serve as a fulltime classroom teacher during the time the child is receiving the tuition free higher education. The benefit is retained even if the school's academic performance improves.

An income tax credit is established that covers all of the property taxes paid for five years on a residence for a K-12 public school teacher who lives and teaches is a county designated as a Tier IV economically distressed county.

In order to better understand the demands of the 21st century workplace, public school teachers who work in grades 6-12 are encouraged to become interns for up to 80 hours per year. Employers who hire teachers for these summer internships are eligible for a $2,000 tax credit for each teacher they employee.

The board of trustees of a local school district may authorize the daily mileage reimbursement of a teacher who must travel more than twentyfive miles each way between home and school. This reimbursement may not exceed the existing federal rate.

Local school boards of trustees may establish policies allowing teachers to enroll their children in the schools where they teach regardless of the student's zoned area of attendance, and if space is available at the receiving school.

Each classroom teacher and fulltime librarian is entitled to at least a thirtyminute daily planning period free from the instruction and supervision of students. Each school district may set flexible or rotating schedules for the implementation of this dutyfree planning period. Implementation may not, however, result in a lengthened school day.

The legislation includes provisions for colleges and universities to create alternative teacher preparation programs that are not nationally accredited. Such programs must, however, provide specifically mandated evidence of effectiveness.

The State Board of Education must review educator preparation programs at least once every five years.

The SDE must provide each teacher preparation program with information regarding the performance of its graduates. The programs are required to protect the confidentiality of the data, and the information is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

To provide for accountability in teacher preparation programs, both traditional and alternative, the legislation creates the South Carolina Teacher Preparation Report Card to examine the number of students completing the program, the performance of teacher candidates on basic skills examinations, and the effectiveness of the programs' graduates in the classroom setting.

The existing teacher satisfaction survey currently administered is now statutorily required. Results must be complied, analyzed, and reported for each school and district. This data should be shared with policy makers on a yearly basis, and the Department will publish those results on its website.

Enhanced Accountability

Assistance for students in underperforming schools

The legislation reinforces accountability act provisions regarding assistance for struggling schools or districts.

Local school boards with below average or unsatisfactory performance records are required to establish renewal plans that must be approved by the State Board of Education. These plans must include professional growth plans for teachers and principals. A report on the assistance provided to the schools must be provided to the General Assembly on a yearly basis. Stakeholder groups that include mental health, social services, and law enforcement must be asked for input into renewal plans.

When a school receives an overall rating of unsatisfactory for three out of four years, the school is considered to be ‘chronically underperforming' and one of the following must occur:

(1) the school will be reconstituted immediately after the end of the school year in which the annual report is published; and:

(a) the State Superintendent shall make all personnel decisions for the reconstituted school and shall have the authority to determine whether to terminate the principal, faculty, and staff;

(b) the State Superintendent of Education shall hire the new principal and staff for the reconstituted school if necessary; and

(c) the department shall contract with a public or nonprofit entity that has a proven record of success in working with underperforming schools and districts. The entity shall use researchbased strategies to assist schools with their operations and oversee the administration of the school until the overall rating of the school improves; provided, if the overall rating does not improve within three years then the school either must be restarted under the management of a highperforming charter management organization selected by the State Superintendent of Education or must be governed by the South Carolina Transformation School District, and all state, local and federal funds generated by the students must follow the students to the charter management organization or to the South Carolina Transformation School District;

(2) the school must be closed and restarted under the management of an existing charter school authorizer or a nonprofit educational management organization selected by the State Superintendent; provided, if the school is a Title I school, the Department of Education will award competitive grants as authorized under federal law to support these new schools and all state, local and federal funds generated by the students follow the students to the charter school authorizer or to the educational management organization. The authorizer or management organization has the authority to terminate any and all employees of the school and hire employees at its discretion; or

(3) the school must be closed and its students must be transferred to higherperforming schools in the district.

The South Carolina Transformation School District is established as part of State Department of Education to operate and manage unsatisfactory schools.

The Superintendent of Education is directed to utilize lower child to teacher ratios as a strategy to assist chronically unsatisfactory schools.

The legislation establishes a school district consolidation protocol which provides that, before August 1, 2023, local school districts whose kindergarten through grade twelve student population is less than one thousand, and where greater than fifty percent of the students attend schools whose report card ratings are below average or unsatisfactory, shall be merged with a district in the same county in which it is located.

School Board Ethics Provisions

The State Board of Education must adopt a model code of ethics that shall be adopted by local districts by July 1, 2020.

A person may not serve on a local school board if a family member is employed by the district as a superintendent, principal, assistant principal, or member of the district administrative staff. This requirement may be waived for districts with a student population under 3,000.

School board members may not their position for personal or family advantage. Expectations for board members are codified.

The State Ethics Act, including the requirement to file a statement of economic interest, is applied to local board members.

Local school boards must adopt an annual training programs for members that includes instruction on school law, ethics, school finance, nepotism, board relations, and conflicts of interest. Completion of the training must be reported to, and retained by the State Department of Education.

In addition to other statutory authority relating to the removal of officers, the Governor may remove a member of a school district board of trustees in a case involving fraud, misappropriation of funds, nepotism, violation of election or procurement laws, or a combination of these.

A protocol is established that allows board members to be removed by the Governor if the district loses accreditation for school governance reasons.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Federal Programs and Grants

The Legislative Audit Council is directed to study publish a report by August 1, 2020, identifying and detailing federal funding streams for programs and grants in elementary and secondary education in this state in total and breaking out the cost of overhead, compliance, and reporting incurred by the State Department of Education, school districts, and local schools.

The Education and Public Works Committee met March 5, 2019 and approved three bills.

The Committee approved H. 3936, RELATING TO PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIPS, which seeks to include two-year institutions of higher learning and technical schools among the category of institutions whose students may be eligible for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.

The Committee approved H. 3357, as amended, HEARING IMPAIRMENT NOTATION. This bill allows DMV to add a notation to a private passenger-carrying motor vehicle registration to indicate to law enforcement that the driver may be deaf or hard of hearing. The amendment added a licensed audiologist and that the bill goes into effect one year after approval by the Governor.

The Committee approved H. 3952, as amended, GOLF CARTS AND MOPEDS. A county in the unincorporated areas of the county or a municipality within its corporate limits may by ordinance regulate a person or entity offering golf carts for rental or lease for a period of less than nine months that operate upon the public streets and highways within the jurisdiction. However, this ordinance is limited to the use of safety devices and the geographic area, distance, identification of the vehicles, and specified public roadways on which the rented or leased golf carts may operate. The second part of the bill relates to mopeds and that a county in the unincorporated areas of the county or a municipality within its corporate limits may by ordinance regulate a person or entity offering mopeds for rental or lease for a period of less than nine months that operate upon the public streets and highways within its jurisdiction. However, this ordinance is limited to the use of safety devices and the geographic area, distance, identification of the vehicles, and specified public roadways on which the rented or leased mopeds may operate. The bill notes in both instances that nothing in an ordinance may conflict with or exceed existing limitations of state law.

The Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee met on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, and reported out several bills.

The council shall provide an annual report with recommendations no later than July 1, 2020, to the General Assembly. The advisory council must be dissolved two years after the effective date of approval.

This House Resolution expresses the opposition to offshore drilling activities along South Carolina coast.

This bill establishes the South Carolina Farm Aid Fund that will be administered by the Department of Agriculture for the purpose of assisting farmers who have suffered at least a 40 percent loss of agricultural commodities as a result of a catastrophic weather event. As a result, the bill outlines the guidelines and procedures.

In addition to the other duties of the South Carolina Geological Survey Unit of the Department Natural Resources (DNR), this bill authorizes the Unit to conduct topographic mapping using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data collections to ensure compliance with certain FEMA standards.

This bill relates to a veteran designation on a driver's license and provides that an applicant for a new, renewed, or replacement driver's license may apply to obtain a veteran designation on the front of his driver's license by providing a United States DOD discharge certificate, a National Guard Bureau report of separation and record of service, or a United States DOD honorable discharge certificate.

This bill relates to the public school calendar year start date, so as to provide that beginning with the 20202021 school year, the opening date for students must not be before the fifteenth day of August.

Motorists, including motorists under 21, would have an option of enrolling in, and obtaining, a restricted license under the Ignition Interlock Device Program in lieu of serving all of their regular drivers' license suspension periods. All requests for restoration of driving privileges by motorists who have been classified habitual offenders would include ignition interlock restrictions. Eliminates provisional licenses for first offense driving under the influence for offenses happening after the effective date of this act. Requires ignition interlock device manufacturers to pay certification fees. Records of ignition interlock devices would be placed with the SC Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Service. Ignition interlock device restrictions would be placed on temporary alcohol licenses. Route-restricted licenses would be deleted. Requires an ignition interlock device to be installed when first-time DUI offenders seek to end any suspension. Also details the right of any accused motorist to pay for independent testing.

In child protection cases, this proposal adds exemptions from the traditional definitions of "child abuse or neglect" and "harm." These exemptions include children participating in independent activities, including walking or bicycling to and from school or recreational centers, outdoor play, being alone at home so long as a parent or guardian will return to that home the same day and the child has been provided emergency contact information, as well as similar, but unspecified, independent activities.

Makes it illegal to carry or deliver defined "telecommunication devices" on the grounds of any correctional facility. These devices include pagers, walkie-talkies, cellphones, PDAs, laptop computers, and similar devices that can be used to communicate with others. Sets penalties for violations.

Fictive kin would be eligible to serve as foster parents under the kinship foster care program. These people are not related to children by blood or marriage, but have an emotionally significant relationship with the child, or the child's family. They could so serve prior to being licensed as a kinship foster care provider under certain circumstances.

County sheriffs would have the same power as constables within city limits to enforce all of the provisions of our state alcohol beverage control act, except drinking alcohol in public.

Senate Transportation Committee

Amends the definition of "crime of violence" to instead be "violent crime" for purposes of drivers' license suspensions. After a violent crime conviction, a person's license or special identification card must be surrendered. SCDMV will reissue any card with an endorsement that shows a violent crime conviction.

Revises disclosure requirements for General Assembly members. Under this proposal, written disclosure statements would have to describe the specific nature of any potential conflicts. Revises the contents of statements of economic interests. Updates other terms of art, including business relationships of being an independent contractor, consultant, or a party to a contract with our State under the purview of this law.

Commencement of any ethics enforcement actions would toll all applicable statutes of limitations under this proposed legislation.

Prohibits the sale of an energy drink to minors. Also contains penalties for violations. Sets out definitions of "energy drinks." These drinks include beverages with 71 mg, or more, of caffeine per 12 ounces, methylxanthines, B vitamins, guarana, ginseng, taurine, glucuronolactane, or any extracts or variants of these ingredients.

Allows anyone to opt out from the delivery of commercial circulars or handbills distributed by whatever means on private property. Violators could be penalized under listed littering laws.

Enacts the "Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act of 2019" to supplant current law in these situations. Contains procedures for establishing a presumption of abandonment --as well as to escheat-- a wide range of abandoned property to the state for sale or other disposition. Has criminal penalties for violations.

Revises South Carolina campaign practices by updating the definitions of "committee," "contribution," "noncandidate committee," and "ballot measure committee." It also reclassifies party committees, legislative caucuses, and noncandidate committees that have the major purpose of nominating, electing, or defeating candidates for public office to be under the purview of this law.

Private college campus safety and security departments would be the legal custodians of certain records related to criminal investigation and criminal intelligence records maintained by these departments. While these records are not to be considered public records under the SC Freedom of Information Acts, they would be available for review under the auspices of the Federal Jeanne Cleary Disclosure and the Federal Educational Privacy Acts. These federal laws subject certain information in these reports to redaction.

Requires clerks of court to report to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division [SLED], within 10 days, weekends and holidays excluded, the disposition of each general sessions court case. They must report the issuance of restraining orders, orders of protection, orders for the prevention of possession of a firearm, convictions or orders related to domestic violence, orders related to stalking, intimidation, or harassment, and orders for bond within 48 hours. Requires magistrates to report the same information form their court session to SLED by the same deadlines. Requires each law enforcement agency to report to SLED within twenty-four hours, the filing of each incident report, order of protection, restraining order, any order or report relating to an incident of domestic violence, or any incident in which a person may be prohibited from obtaining or possessing a firearm by state or federal law. Prevents any gun transfer until a criminal background check has concluded. Sunsets the five-day background check provisions for gun purchases upon the full implementation of the reporting requirements of this act, but, in no event, later than two years from the effective date of the act.

When the governor removes an entire county board of voter registration and elections membership due to incapacity, misconduct, or neglect of duty, then he would be permitted to appoint an interim county board of voter registration and elections of no less than 5, nor more than 9, members. These interim members would serve to serve during the pendency of the formal board appointment process. Each member of any interim board would have to be a current chair of another county board of voter registration and elections.

Allows both in-person and by mail absentee voting in presidential preference primary elections. Sets the dates for these voting methods. Requires the State Election Commission to furnish lists weekly to certified political parties. These lists will show the applicants for absentee ballots, the returned absentee ballots, and who have actually cast absentee ballots.

MILITARY PERSONNEL Sen. Alexander

This bill establishes a protocol that expedites the issuance of professional and occupational licenses to spouses of military personnel transferred to South Carolina when the spouse holds a professional or occupational license issued by another state.

EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE Sen. Alexander

This bill revises provisions for the appointment of the Executive Director of the Department of Employment and Workforce, to provide that the State Department of Employment and Workforce Review Committee must nominate up to three qualified candidates for the Governor's consideration.

This bill revises provisions relating to the commissioners of the Public Service Commission, so as to allow the commissioners and commission employees to be reimbursed for certain extrajudicial activities and to specify requirements for reimbursement.

This bill enacts the "Multifamily Dwelling Safety Act" to require the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation to adopt a multifamily dwelling balcony code establishing minimum standards for balcony railings that are primarily constructed of wood and are located in multifamily dwellings. The legislation requires the department periodically to conduct inspections of such balconies to ascertain compliance with the code and provides remedies for violations.

This bill enacts the "South Carolina Call Center Jobs Act" to provide protections for employees of call centers whose employer relocates or intends to relocate to a foreign country. The legislation provides for notice and other requirements in regard to these employers, as well as certain civil penalties and other sanctions against them for specific violations.

This bill allows the Public Service Commission to authorize the issuance of bonds for the purposes of offsetting and reducing prudently incurred costs due to a state of emergency declared by the Governor or the abandonment of a major utility facility project. The legislation establishes the requirements and processes for the authorization of these bonds.

Among many things, this bills requires speech-language pathologists and speech-language pathology assistants to adhere to guidelines set forth by the American SpeechLanguageHearing Association.

This bill requires the Department of Environmental Control to prepare, upon receipt of United States citizenship documentation, a Certificate of Foreign Birth for a child who was born in a foreign country to a parent who is a resident of South Carolina.

This bill provides for the definition and requires a person to be licensed to be a hair designer. "Hair design" means arranging, styling, thermal curling, chemical waxing, pressing, shampooing, cutting, shaping, chemical bleaching, chemical coloring, chemical relaxing, or similar work on the hair, wig, or hairpiece of a person, by any means, with hands and mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliance. The bill also outlines the licensure requirements.

The bill includes Title 1 public schools among those places that services are rendered as part of not-for-profit programs.

The bill provides for the definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder which means a pervasive developmental disorder as defined by the most recent publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or as defined in any previous edition of the DSM. The bill also makes conforming changes and deletes the age requirement provision.

This bill provides for an income tax credit to an individual or business that constructs, purchases, or leases certain solar energy property and that places it in service in this state.

This bill revises provisions governing campaign practices to require a person who is not a committee and who makes an independent expenditure in an aggregate amount or value in excess of five hundred dollars during a calendar year or makes an electioneering communication to file a report of such expenditure or communication with the State Ethics Commission.

This bill revises exemptions from the admissions tax, so as to exempt admissions charged by certain nonprofit business leagues and chambers of commerce.

This bill revises provisions relating to the definition of retail sales, so as to exclude tangible personal property sold by certain artists and craftsmen making limited sales at certain festivals. The legislation revises requirements for a retail license, so as to remove the requirement that such artists and craftsmen obtain a retail license.

This bill revises provisions relating to the issuance of bonds for industrial development projects, so as to provide for certain notice requirements before the bonds may be issued.