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A146, R150, H4639
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Allison and Taylor
Document Path: l:\council\bills\agm\18836ab16.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 1091
Introduced in the House on January 12, 2016
Introduced in the Senate on February 10, 2016
Last Amended on March 2, 2016
Passed by the General Assembly on March 9, 2016
Governor's Action: March 14, 2016, Signed
Summary: Higher Education Commission
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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1/12/2016 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 121)
1/12/2016 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
(House Journal-page 121)
2/4/2016 House Committee report: Favorable Education and Public Works
(House Journal-page 3)
2/9/2016 House Amended (House Journal-page 26)
2/9/2016 House Read second time (House Journal-page 26)
2/9/2016 House Roll call Yeas-110 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 27)
2/10/2016 House Read third time and sent to Senate
2/10/2016 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 6)
2/10/2016 Senate Referred to Committee on Education
(Senate Journal-page 6)
2/25/2016 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education
(Senate Journal-page 14)
2/26/2016 Scrivener's error corrected
3/2/2016 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 32)
3/2/2016 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 32)
3/2/2016 Senate Roll call Ayes-42 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 32)
3/3/2016 Senate Read third time and returned to House with amendments
(Senate Journal-page 9)
3/9/2016 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
(House Journal-page 19)
3/9/2016 House Roll call Yeas-107 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 19)
3/10/2016 Ratified R 150
3/14/2016 Signed By Governor
3/16/2016 Effective date 03/14/16
3/17/2016 Act No. 146
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
1/12/2016
2/4/2016
2/25/2016
2/26/2016
3/2/2016
(A146, R150, H4639)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-103-17 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION MAY ENTER INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS THAT AUTHORIZE ACCREDITED DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE TO OFFER POSTSECONDARY DISTANCE EDUCATION IN A CERTAIN MANNER, TO PROVIDE RELATED POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION, TO PROVIDE PARTICIPATION IN THESE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS IS VOLUNTARY TO ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS STATE THAT DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BY THE COMMISSION ARE NOT PROHIBITED FROM OFFERING POSTSECONDARY DISTANCE EDUCATION, AND TO CLARIFY THAT NO PROVISION OF THIS ACT PROHIBITS OR REDUCES THE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION TO LICENSE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OFFERING DISTANCE EDUCATION IN THIS STATE IF THE INSTITUTION IS NOT A PARTICIPANT IN THE INTERSTATE RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT IN WHICH THE COMMISSION PARTICIPATES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Interstate reciprocity for postsecondary distance education
SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 103, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-103-17. (A) The Commission on Higher Education may enter into interstate reciprocity agreements, including, but not limited to, the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, that authorize accredited degree-granting institutions of higher education that offer postsecondary distance education to do so through such reciprocity agreements. The commission shall administer these agreements and shall approve or disapprove participation in these agreements by accredited degree-granting institutions of higher education in this State. The commission may assume and exercise all powers, duties, and responsibilities associated with and required under the terms of an interstate reciprocity agreement.
(B) The commission may develop policies, procedures, or regulations necessary for the implementation of this section, including the establishment of fees to be paid by participating institutions to cover direct and indirect administrative costs incurred by the commission. Participation in interstate reciprocity agreements shall be voluntary to eligible institutions of higher education in this State.
(C) Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit institutions of higher education in this State that do not participate in any interstate reciprocity agreement entered into by the commission from offering postsecondary distance education.
(D) Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit or reduce the commission's authority over institutions of higher education offering distance education in this State if the institution is not a participant in the interstate reciprocity agreement in which the commission participates."
Time effective
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 10th day of March, 2016.
Approved the 14th day of March, 2016.
This web page was last updated on March 23, 2016 at 10:34 AM