A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59-149-10, RELATING TO LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS, AND SECTION 59-150-370, RELATING TO HOPE SCHOLARSHIPS, both SO AS TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF THESE SCHOLARSHIPS BY ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

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

SECTION 1.   Section 59-149-10(E)(1) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   (1) Beginning with School Year 2002-2003 2024-2025, the annual amount of a LIFE Scholarship for eligible resident students attending a four-year public or independent institution as defined in this chapter is increased to the cost of tuition for thirty credit hours a year or its equivalent plus a three hundred dollar a year book allowance. Tuition for this purpose means the amount charged for registering for credit hours of instruction and shall not include other fees, charges, or costs of textbooks, except for the referenced three hundred dollar book allowance, and may not exceed four five thousand seven hundred dollars for each student for each year, plus the book allowance.

SECTION 2.   Section 59-150-370(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   (A) SC HOPE Scholarships are hereby established and are provided by the State. These scholarships are authorized in an amount of up to two three thousand five hundred dollars, plus a three hundred dollar book allowance to cover the cost of attendance, as defined by the Commission on Higher Education by regulation, during the first year of attendance only, to an eligible student attending a four-year public or independent institution as defined in subsection (B) who does not also qualify for a LIFE Scholarship or a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.

SECTION 3.   This act takes effect July 1, 2024.

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