South Carolina General Assembly
120th Session, 2013-2014

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Bill 3365

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

COMMITTEE REPORT

May 23, 2013

H. 3365

Introduced by Reps. Govan, Jefferson, Williams, Whipper and R.L. Brown

S. Printed 5/23/13--H.

Read the first time January 17, 2013.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND PUBLIC WORKS

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3365) to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 12 to Chapter 63, Title 59 so as to require that each public school in the State, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by deleting all after the enacting words and inserting:

/ SECTION    1.    Chapter 66, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-66-40.    (A)(1)    There is created a school safety task force to:

(a)    examine the various funding streams for school-based mental health services and determine how these streams may best be utilized in order to provide more accessible and efficient delivery of mental health programs;

(b)    examine school mental health staffing ratios and provide suggestions that allow for the full delivery of services and effective school-community partnerships, including collaboration between school districts;

(c)    develop standards for district level policies to promote effective school discipline and mental health intervention services;

(d)    examine current intra- and interagency collaboration and suggest ways to improve cooperation; and

(e)    examine how to best support multitiered systems of support.

(2)    Any recommendations made by the task force must be revenue neutral.

(3)    The task force shall report its findings and make recommendations concerning proposed changes to the General Assembly.

(B)    The task force must be composed of:

(1)        one member appointed by the South Carolina School Counselor Association;

(2)        one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of School Psychologists;

(3)        one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of School Social Workers;

(4)        one member appointed by the South Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy;

(5)        one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators;

(6)        one member appointed by the South Carolina School Boards Association;

(7)        one member appointed by the South Carolina Department of Mental Health

(8)        one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of School Resource Officers;

(9)        one member appointed by the Chief of the State Law Enforcement Division;

(10)    one member appointed by the Governor;

(11)    one member appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;

(12)    two members appointed by the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee; and

(13)    two members appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

(C)    Vacancies in the membership of the task force must be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the manner of original appointment.

(D)    Members of the task force shall serve without compensation and may not receive mileage or per diem.

(E)    The staffing for the task force must be provided by the staff of the House Education and Public Works Committee and Senate Education Committee.

(F)    The task force shall make a report of its recommendations to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2013, at which time the task force must be dissolved."

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

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

PHILLIP D. OWENS for Committee.

            

STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT

ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT ON GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES:

A Cost to the General Fund (See Below)

ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT ON FEDERAL & OTHER FUND EXPENDITURES:

$0 (No additional expenditures or savings are expected)

EXPLANATION OF IMPACT:

The State Department of Education estimates no fiscal impact to the agency.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT:

SDE indicates that the school districts currently employ 462 full-time school psychologists. The total current spending for school districts is $34,806,571, which includes salary and fringe. An additional 900 certified school psychologists are needed in order for school districts to meet this requirement. The estimated cost to local school districts would be $67,805,010, which includes salary and fringe.

Approved By:

Brenda Hart

Office of State Budget

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 12 TO CHAPTER 63, TITLE 59 SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE STATE EMPLOY A LICENSED PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST CERTIFIED IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ON A FULL-TIME BASIS TO HELP SCHOOL PERSONNEL IDENTIFY STUDENTS IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, PROMOTE AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND THE AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT, SCREEN AND IDENTIFY STUDENTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND PROVIDE APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AND MAKE REFERRALS FOR APPROPRIATE SOCIAL SERVICES COUNSELING.

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

SECTION    1.    Chapter 63, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 12

Mandatory School Psychologists

Section 59-63-1210.    Every public school in this State shall employ a school psychologist on a full-time basis to help school personnel identify students in need of mental health counseling, promote awareness of mental health issues and the availability of treatment, screen and identify students for mental health issues, and provide appropriate mental health counseling and make referrals for appropriate social services counseling.

Section 59-63-1220.    For the purposes of this article, 'school psychologist' means a person licensed as a psycho-educational specialist under the provisions of Article 3, Chapter 75, Title 40."

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

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