South Carolina General Assembly

116th Session, 2005-2006

H. 3407

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill

Sponsors: Reps. J.M.Neal, Govan, McCraw, Phillips, Altman, Bales, Branham, Emory, Harrell, Huggins, Limehouse, Rhoad, Scarborough, G.R.Smith and Neilson

Document Path: l:\council\bills\pt\2285sj05.doc

Introduced in the House on February 1, 2005

Introduced in the Senate on May 24, 2005

Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Education

Summary: Tuition free education for spouses of certain firefighters, law enforcement officers

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

DateBodyAction Description with journal page number

2/1/2005HouseIntroduced and read first time HJ8

2/1/2005HouseReferred to Committee on Ways and MeansHJ9

5/12/2005HouseRecalled from Committee on Ways and MeansHJ38

5/17/2005HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Neilson

5/19/2005HouseRead second time HJ49

5/19/2005HouseUnanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day HJ51

5/20/2005HouseRead third time and sent to Senate HJ1

5/24/2005SenateIntroduced and read first time SJ11

5/24/2005SenateReferred to Committee on EducationSJ11

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/1/2005

5/12/2005

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

RECALLED

May 12, 2005

H.3407

Introduced by Reps. J.M.Neal, Govan, McCraw, Phillips, Altman, Bales, Branham, Emory, Harrell, Huggins, Limehouse, Rhoad, Scarborough and G.R.Smith

S. Printed 5/12/05--H.

Read the first time February 1, 2005.

[3407-1]

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 59111110, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO TUITION FOR CHILDREN OF FIREMEN, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AND GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES DISABLED OR KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY, SO AS TO INCLUDE SPOUSES IN THE PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR THE TUITION EXEMPTION AND TO INCLUDE SUMMER SEMESTERS IN THE FOUR YEARS THE PERSONS MAY RECEIVE THE TUITION EXEMPTION; TO AMEND SECTION 59111160, RELATING TO THE DEFINITION OF “TOTAL DISABILITY”, SO AS TO INCLUDE SPOUSES IN THE APPLICATION OF THIS ARTICLE.

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

SECTION1.Section 59111110 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

“Section 59111110.(A)No tuition mayTuition must not be charged for a period of four school years, to include summer semesters, by anya statesupported college or university or anya statesupported vocational or technical school for dependent children and spouses of:

(1)firemen, both regularly employed and members of volunteer organized units, organized rescue squad members, members of the Civil Air Patrol, law enforcement officers, or corrections officers, as defined hereinin this article, including reserve and auxiliary units of counties or municipalities who become totally disabled or are killed in the line of duty on or after July 1, 1964;

(2)government employees who become totally disabled or are killed in the line of duty while working on state time on or after July 1, 1996, as a result of a criminal act committed against them, which constitutes a felony under the laws of this State.

(B)The tuition authorized to be paid by this section applies only to undergraduate courses or curriculum and maymust not be paid for a period not exceeding four years, to include summer semesters, regardless of the number of statesupported colleges, universities, or statesupported vocational or technical schools the child attends.”

SECTION2.Section 59111160 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

“Section 59111160.(A)For the purposes of this article, total disability shall meanmeans the physical inability to perform work in any gainfulthe occupation,from which the person was considered to be disabled by the State of South Carolina and thewhich disability directly resultsis a direct result from anyan injury received in the line of duty. In cases of such total disability, the free tuition provided for herein shallin this article must be extended only while suchafter the fireman or lawenforcementlaw enforcement officer continueshas been determined to be totally disabled.

(B)This article shall not applyapplies to a child or children born after the first year of total disability as herein defineddependent children and spouses of the person considered to be disabled by the State of South Carolina.”

SECTION3.This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

XX

[3407]1