South Carolina General Assembly
124th Session, 2021-2022

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H. 5031

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Bannister and Elliott
Document Path: l:\council\bills\jn\3530wab22.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 923

Introduced in the House on February 24, 2022
Currently residing in the House Committee on Education and Public Works

Summary: Patriotism Week

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   2/24/2022  House   Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 22)
   2/24/2022  House   Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works 
                        (House Journal-page 22)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/24/2022

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

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-465 SO AS TO PROVIDE NECESSARY DEFINITIONS, TO PROVIDE YOUTH PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES MAY ADDRESS PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS DURING THE WEEK OF PATRIOT DAY, THE WEEK OF CONSTITUTION DAY, AND PATRIOTISM WEEK ABOUT HOW INVOLVEMENT IN THE YOUTH PATRIOTIC SOCIETY MAY FURTHER THE EDUCATIONAL INTEREST AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT OF THE STUDENTS, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 53-3-150, RELATING TO PATRIOTISM WEEK, SO AS TO MAKE OBSERVATION OF PATRIOTISM WEEK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS MANDATORY INSTEAD OF OPTIONAL, AND TO PROVIDE THIS OBSERVATION MUST INCLUDE TIME ALLOCATED FOR YOUTH PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES TO ADDRESS STUDENTS AS PROVIDED IN THIS ACT; AND TO MAKE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2022.

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

SECTION    1.    Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 59-1-465.    (A)    As used in this section:

        (1)    'Constitution Day' means the seventeenth day of September, as designated by the United States Congress in 2005.

        (2)    'Patriot Day' means the eleventh day of September as provided in Section 53-3-160.

        (3)    'Patriotism Week' means the annual Patriotism Week observation in the week that includes the eleventh day of November provided in Section 53-3-150.

        (4)    'Youth patriotic society' means a youth membership organization listed in 36 U.S.C. Subtitle II, Part B, intended to promote patriotism and kindred virtues among boys, girls, or both.

    (B)    The principal of each elementary school, middle school, and high school shall allow representatives of any youth patriotic society that provides notice as provided in subsection (C) to the principal the opportunity to speak with students during the week of Patriot Day, the week of Constitution Day, or Patriotism Week at events to inform the students of how their involvement in the youth patriotic society may further the students' educational interest and civic involvement to improve their schools, communities, and themselves. A youth patriotic society allowed to speak with students pursuant to this subsection may speak to students for at least ten minutes. A school is not required to allocate more than thirty minutes during any one of the above referenced weeks for use by youth patriotic societies under the provisions of this section annually, allocated equally among the requesting youth patriotic societies.

    (C)    A youth patriotic society shall provide thirty days written or verbal notice to the principal of the society's intent to address students pursuant to subsection (B). The principal shall provide verbal or written approval indicating the specific date and time for the society to address the students and the location where the address may occur."

SECTION    2.    Section 53-3-150(B) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

    "(B)    The State Superintendent of Education shall encourage require school districts to:

        (1)    observe 'Patriot Day', 'Constitution Day', and 'Patriotism Week' by holding appropriate ceremonies, events, and assemblies on school grounds, including time allotted for youth patriotic society addresses to students provided in Section 59-1-465; and

        (2)    develop appropriate curricula that focus on the purposes of 'Patriot Day', 'Constitution Day', and 'Patriotism Week'."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect July 1, 2022.

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This web page was last updated on February 24, 2022 at 3:16 PM