A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 59-112-105 so as to provide Coastal Carolina University, Francis Marion University, the University of South Carolina Aiken, the University of South Carolina Beaufort, the University of South Carolina Upstate, and Winthrop University may offer in-state tuition to students who legally reside in a state that borders south carolina and otherwise meet admissions criteria, to limit the number of such students who may receive in-state tuition under these provisions, and limit applicability of these provisions to school years 2024-2025 to 2029-2030, unless extended by the General Assembly; by amending Section 59-112-110, relating to in-state tuition for certain Georgia residents attending the University of South Carolina Aiken and Aiken Technical College, so as to remove the University from the existing provisions and to authorize horry-georgetown technical college to provide in-state tuition to certain students residing in states that border south carolina from school years 2024-2025 to 2029-2030; and by repealing section 59-125-95 relating to the availability at Winthrop University of graduate-level in-state tuition to residents of Carolinas Partnership for Economic Development member counties in North Carolina.

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

SECTION 1.   Chapter 112, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

   Section 59-112-105.   (A) Notwithstanding another provision of law, as existing capacity allows, Coastal Carolina University, Francis Marion University, the University of South Carolina Aiken, the University of South Carolina Beaufort, the University of South Carolina Upstate, and Winthrop University may offer in-state tuition to a student whose legal residence is located in a state that borders South Carolina. These students must meet the university's admission requirements to be eligible to receive in-state tuition. No state appropriations may be used to fund the provisions of this section, nor may use of these provisions adversely impact these institutions' priority commitment to educating the students of South Carolina. A border state student who receives in-state tuition pursuant to the provisions of this section may not cause the denial of enrollment to an eligible South Carolina student.

   (B) Coastal Carolina University, Francis Marion University, the University of South Carolina Aiken, the University of South Carolina Beaufort, the University of South Carolina Upstate, and Winthrop University each may award in-state tuition to eligible students who legally reside in states that border South Carolina on the undergraduate level, graduate level, or any combination of the two levels for each academic year under the provisions of subsection (A). Each school may award a maximum of two-hundred and fifty such scholarships for each academic year.

   (C) This section applies from the 2024-2025 School Year through the 2029-2030 School Year unless otherwise extended by the General Assembly.

SECTION 2.   Section 59-112-110 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   Section 59-112-110.   (A) The University of South Carolina's Aiken Campus and Aiken Technical College may offer in-state tuition to a student whose legal residence is in the Richmond/Columbia County area of the State of Georgia as long as the Georgia Board of Regents continues its Georgia Tuition Program by which in-state tuition is offered to students residing in the Aiken/Edgefield/McCormick County area of the State of South Carolina, or students residing in the Aiken/Edgefield County area of the State of South Carolina if the Georgia Board of Regents does not include McCormick County residents in its Georgia Tuition Program

   (B) (1) Notwithstanding another provision of law, as existing capacity allows, Horry-Georgetown Technical College may offer in-state tuition to a student whose legal residence is located in a state that borders South Carolina. These students must meet the college's admission requirements to be eligible to receive in-state tuition. No state appropriations may be used to fund the provisions of this section, nor may use of these provisions adversely impact the college's priority commitment to educating the students of South Carolina. A border state student who receives in-state tuition pursuant to the provisions of this section may not cause the denial of enrollment to an eligible South Carolina student.

      (2) Horry-Georgetown Technical College may award in-state tuition to eligible students who legally reside in states that border South Carolina for any degree or certificate offered by the college for each academic year under the provisions of subsection (A). The college may award a maximum of two-hundred and fifty such scholarships for each academic year.

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SECTION 3.    Section 59-125-95 of the S.C. Code is repealed.

SECTION 4.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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