Education Scholarship Trust Fund

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-110, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING THE EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND, SO AS TO REVISE DEFINITIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-115, RELATING TO SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES, SO AS PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING PRIORITY AND GENERAL APPLICATIONS, TO PROVIDE CERTAIN EXEMPTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR NONPUBLIC EDUCATION SERVICE PROVIDERS, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-120, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND, SO AS TO RECHARACTERIZE ITS CORPUS AND REVISE ITS USAGES, TO ESTABLISH A TRUSTEE APPOINTMENT FOR THE FUND AND TO PROVIDE THE QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF THE TRUSTEE, AND TO ESTABLISH SCHOLARSHIP ALLOCATION AMOUNTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-125, RELATING TO SCHOLARSHIP FUND PAYMENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ROLE OF THE TRUSTEE IN MAKING SUCH PAYMENTS, TO PROVIDE FOR TRUSTEE PAYMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE TERMS FOR A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TRUSTEE'S DUTIES, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-130, RELATING TO SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY TERMINATION NOTICE REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO RESTATE THE SECTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-135, RELATING TO SCHOLARSHIP PARTICIPANT NUMBER LIMITATIONS, SO AS TO REVISE THE LIMITATIONS, ENABLE INCREASES, AND REMOVE A PERIODIC PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY AND USE REVIEW REQUIREMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-140, RELATING TO EDUCATION SERVICE PROVIDER PROGRAM PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO INCLUDE ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS, AND TO REMOVE CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; BY AMENDING SECTION 58-8-145, RELATING TO MISCELLANEOUS DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO REMOVE A PROVISION ALLOWING THE DEPARTMENT TO CONTRACT WITH QUALIFIED ORGANIZATIONS FOR RELATED ASSISTANCE; BY ADDING SECTION 59-8-147 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT SHALL POST CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM ON ITS INTERNET WEBSITE, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT CONCERNING THE APPLICATION PROCESS, AND TO PROVIDE A GRACE PERIOD FOR APPLICANTS TO CORRECT MINOR ERRORS; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-150, RELATING TO EDUCATION SERVICE PROVIDER REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO EXPAND EMPLOYEE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, TO REVISE EMPLOYEE SURETY BOND REQUIREMENTS, TO REVISE ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS, AND TO REMOVE A PROVISION AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT TO PROMULGATE RELATED REGULATIONS, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-160, RELATING TO THE EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND REVIEW PANEL, SO AS TO RESTATE THE SECTION; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-165, RELATING TO DISTRICT-LEVEL STUDENT TRANSFER POLICIES, SO AS TO REPLACE THE EXISTING LANGUAGE WITH PROVISIONS CONCERNING INTERDISTRICT TRANSFERS; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-8-170, RELATING TO AN EXEMPTION FROM HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE TRANSFER ELIGIBILITY RULES FOR INTERDISTRICT TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS, SO AS TO MAKE THE PROVISION APPLICABLE TO SCHOLARSHIP AND NONSCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS, AND TO PROVIDE SUBSEQUENT TRANSFERS ARE SUBJECT TO HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE ELIGIBILITY RULES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 59-150-350, RELATING TO SCHOLARSHIPS DESIGNATED TO RECEIVE LOTTERY FUNDING, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND. - RATIFIED TITLE