A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-101-440 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT OR CHANCELLOR OF A PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING TO CLOSE THE INSTITUTION TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ITS EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS FROM HAZARDOUS WEATHER OR EMERGENCY CONDITIONS.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Article 1, Chapter 101, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 59-101-440.  The president or chancellor, as applicable, of each public institution of higher learning is hereby granted the authority to close all or parts of the institution as is considered necessary to protect the health and safety of the institution's employees and students from hazardous weather or emergency conditions. The Governor may authorize that up to five days of leave with pay be provided for an institution's affected employees who are absent from work when the closure is the result of a state of emergency declared by the Governor for hazardous weather or other emergency conditions. For purposes of this section, "institution of higher learning" has the same meaning as provided in Section 59-103-5.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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