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COMMITTEE REPORT
April 20, 2021
S. 231
S. Printed 4/20/21--S.
Read the first time January 12, 2021.
To whom was referred a Bill (S. 231) to enact the "Student Identification Card Suicide Prevention Act"; to amend Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the 1976 Code, relating to miscellaneous provisions for education, etc., respectfully
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, on page 1, by striking lines 39 and 40 and inserting:
/Prevention Lifeline. The school must also print on either side of the cards the social media platform, telephone number, or text number for at least one additional crisis resource selected by the school district or charter school sponsor pursuant to the available data regarding local school or community needs, including, but not limited to: /
Amend the bill further, as and if amended, on page 2, by striking lines 5 and 6 and inserting:
/public or private institution of higher learning must also print on either side of the cards the social media platform, telephone number, or text number for at least one additional crisis resource selected by the public or private institution of higher learning pursuant to the available data regarding local school or community needs, including, but not limited to: /
Amend the bill further, as and if amended, on page 2, at line 16, by inserting:
/ (D) Public schools, charter schools, and institutions of higher learning issuing student identification cards pursuant to this section shall annually and prior to the start of each school year certify to their respective governing bodies that the contact information being printed on student identification cards is up to date and reflects the current contact information for crisis resources posted on the South Carolina Department of Mental Health's website." /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
GREG HEMBREE for Committee.
Explanation of Fiscal Impact
State Expenditure
This bill requires public schools and public and private institutions of higher learning that issue student identification cards to print the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on either side of the card. The school or institution may also print the following telephone or text numbers:
• the Crisis Text Line;
• campus police or security or, if the campus does not have a campus police or security telephone number, the local law enforcement authority; or
• a local suicide prevention hotline; or
• the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline.
The bill applies to any student identification card issued for the first time and for replacement cards. If a public school or institution of higher learning has a supply of unissued student identification cards that do not comply with the provisions of this bill, then the school or institution may issue those cards until the supply is depleted. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2022.
State Agency Schools. The Governor's School for Science and Mathematics and the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School indicate that any expenses associated with printing the required telephone number on student identification cards can be managed within current appropriations. We anticipate similar responses from the Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, the Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, and the School for the Deaf and Blind. Therefore, we do not expect that this bill will have an expenditure impact on the state agency schools.
State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. This bill will require technical colleges that currently issue student identification cards to print the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on the cards they issue. This bill would be effective beginning July 1, 2022 and would only apply to cards that are newly issued or replaced after the effective date. The technical colleges are also allowed to use any supply they currently have on hand before printing new cards. SBTCE reported that fourteen of the sixteen technical colleges currently issue student identification cards. In order to comply with this bill, some colleges would need to switch to cards that are double sided. This would require purchasing a different type of printer and the appropriate auxiliary supplies such as ink, ribbon, and cardstock. SBTCE anticipates the non-recurring expenditures for equipment and design services to be $22,300. The estimated recurring expenditures for supplies and services are $2,150. Therefore, this bill would increase expenditures for technical colleges by $24,450 in FY 2022-23 and $2,150 each year thereafter. These expenditures apply only to the technical colleges that are currently issuing student identification cards.
Commission on Higher Education. This bill will require IHLs to print the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on the student identification cards they issue. This bill would be effective beginning July 1, 2022 and would only apply to cards that are newly issued or replaced after the effective date. IHLs are also allowed to use up any supply they currently have on hand before printing new cards. CHE surveyed the public institutions of higher learning to determine the expenditure impact this bill will have on each institution.
The USC Columbia Campus currently issues identification cards with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on them. USC will ensure that all branch campuses of the university will comply with the requirements of this bill. This requirement will be implemented with the use of current appropriations.
Clemson University, Lander University, and the University of Charleston reported that any expenditure increase would be minimal and could be managed within existing appropriations.
In summary, this bill is not expected to have an expenditure impact on the research and comprehensive institutions of higher learning.
Local Expenditure
This bill requires public schools, including charter schools, that serve students in the seventh through twelfth grades and that issue student identification cards to print the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on either side of the card. The school may also print the following telephone or text numbers on the student identification cards:
• the Crisis Text Line;
• a local suicide prevention hotline, if available; or
• the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline.
The bill applies to any student identification card issued for the first time and for replacement cards. If a public school has a supply of unissued student identification cards that do not comply with the provisions of this bill, then the school may issue those cards until the supply is depleted. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2022.
The expenditure impact of this bill on the local school districts is undetermined. Some districts indicate the need for a new ID machine, which is estimated at approximately $1,500 per school. However, this expense will vary by district and will depend on the type of ID machine to be purchased and the number of schools in the district. Other districts believe it would be a best practice to reprint all student ID's with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline instead of depleting the current supply of ID's. In total, districts indicate these expenses would range from $1,300 to $45,000 per district for ID machines, student ID cards, and labor.
Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director
Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office
TO ENACT THE "STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARD SUICIDE PREVENTION ACT"; TO AMEND ARTICLE 5, CHAPTER 1, TITLE 59 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS FOR EDUCATION, BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-375, TO PROVIDE THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING SHALL ADD THE TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE TO STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS AND MAY ADD TELEPHONE AND TEXT NUMBERS FOR CERTAIN OTHER HOTLINES TO STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS IN EXISTENCE BEFORE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS REQUIREMENT.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This act must be known and may be cited as the "Student Identification Card Suicide Prevention Act".
SECTION 2. Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-1-375. (A) A public school, including a charter school, that serves any students in the seventh through twelfth grades that issues student identification cards must print on either side of the cards the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The school may also print on either side of the cards the telephone or text numbers for:
(1) the Crisis Text Line;
(2) a local suicide prevention hotline, if available; or
(3) the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline.
(B) Public and private institutions of higher learning that issue student identification cards must print on either side of the cards the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The institution may also print on either side of the cards the telephone or text numbers for:
(1) the Crisis Text Line;
(2) campus police or security or, if the campus does not have a campus police or security telephone number, the local law enforcement authority;
(3) a local suicide prevention hotline; or
(4) the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline.
(C) This section applies to any student identification card issued for the first time or for replacements to a damaged or lost student identification card."
SECTION 3. If a public school or institution of higher learning subject to the provisions of this act has a supply of unissued student identification cards that do not comply with the requirements of this act, then the school or institution may issue those student identification cards until the supply is depleted.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect on July 1, 2022.
This web page was last updated on April 20, 2021 at 4:13 PM