2015-2016 Bill 3848: SC Founding Principles Act - …



South Carolina General Assembly121st Session, 2015-2016A192, R199, H3848STATUS INFORMATIONGeneral BillSponsors: Reps. Huggins, J.E.?Smith, McKnight, Jefferson, Hosey, Atwater, Toole, Burns, Herbkersman, Ridgeway, Simrill, Kennedy, Ballentine and HeneganDocument Path: l:\council\bills\agm\18547ab15.docxIntroduced in the House on March 17, 2015Introduced in the Senate on March 16, 2016Last Amended on May 11, 2016Passed by the General Assembly on May 18, 2016Governor's Action: May 26, 2016, SignedSummary: SC Founding Principles ActHISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONSDateBodyAction Description with journal page number3/17/2015HouseIntroduced and read first time (House Journalpage?29)3/17/2015HouseReferred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House Journalpage?29)3/19/2015HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Kennedy3/24/2015HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Ballentine3/10/2016HouseCommittee report: Favorable with amendment Education and Public Works (House Journalpage?3)3/14/2016Scrivener's error corrected3/15/2016HouseAmended (House Journalpage?29)3/15/2016HouseRead second time (House Journalpage?29)3/15/2016HouseRoll call Yeas99 Nays0 (House Journalpage?30)3/16/2016HouseRead third time and sent to Senate (House Journalpage?8)3/16/2016Scrivener's error corrected3/16/2016SenateIntroduced and read first time (Senate Journalpage?6)3/16/2016SenateReferred to Committee on Education (Senate Journalpage?6)4/14/2016SenateCommittee report: Favorable with amendment Education (Senate Journalpage?8)5/11/2016SenateCommittee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journalpage?29)5/11/2016SenateRead second time (Senate Journalpage?29)5/11/2016SenateRoll call Ayes42 Nays0 (Senate Journalpage?29)5/12/2016SenateRead third time and returned to House with amendments (Senate Journalpage?11)5/18/2016HouseConcurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (House Journalpage?74)5/18/2016HouseRoll call Yeas112 Nays0 (House Journalpage?74)5/24/2016Ratified R 1995/26/2016Signed By Governor6/1/2016Effective date 05/26/166/3/2016Act No.?192View the latest legislative information at the websiteVERSIONS OF THIS BILL3/17/20153/10/20163/14/20163/15/20163/16/20164/14/20165/11/2016(A192, R199, H3848)AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE “SOUTH CAROLINA FOUNDING PRINCIPLES ACT” BY ADDING SECTION 5929155 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SHALL INCORPORATE INSTRUCTION ON CERTAIN FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF THE UNITED STATES INTO REQUIRED STUDIES OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS, TO SPECIFY CERTAIN MINIMUM CONTENT REQUIREMENTS, TO PROVIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BIENNIALLY SHALL REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT SHALL OFFER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES REGARDING FOUNDING PRINCIPLES INSTRUCTION TO TEACHERS.Whereas, the United States of America is currently celebrating the 239th year of its independence and the 228th year of its people living free under the United States Constitution, the greatest governing principles ever written; andWhereas, it is the obligation and responsibility of every United States citizen to understand the importance of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and other documents that set forth and explain the principles of federalism, a governing system whereby the states and the federal government share responsibility for governing, and understand the rights of the people to private property, due process, and other inalienable rights; andWhereas, the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “[t]he powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the State respectively, or to the people”; andWhereas, the preservation of our great nation depends on strict adherence to the Tenth Amendment and other principles that protect the states and the people from overzealous acts of all branches of the federal government; andWhereas, many preeminent legal scholars and jurists, including Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, have observed that “Congress will nibble away at state sovereignty, bit by bit, until someday essentially nothing is left but a gutted shell”; andWhereas, understanding the proper role and the limitations of government have been a recurring issue for our courts throughout the history of our nation; andWhereas, every state has constitutional requirements for the education of the children of the state; andWhereas, many states recognize the importance of complying with its constitutional mandate of education by enacting laws that require graduating students to have a working knowledge of this country’s Founding Principles; andWhereas, as stated by Patrick Henry, “No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people [but] by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles”; andWhereas, educating our children on the Founding Principles of our nation is crucial to the continuance of our free Republic. Now, therefore,Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:CitationSECTION1.This act is known and may be cited as the “South Carolina Founding Principles Act”.Founding principles instruction required, reporting requirements, professional developmentSECTION2.Article 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:“Section 5929155.(A)The State Board of Education and Education Oversight Committee shall incorporate instruction on the founding principles that shaped the United States into the required study of the United States Constitution as provided in Section 5929120, and the South Carolina Social Studies Standards upon the next cyclical review. The board and committee shall include, at a minimum, the Federalist Papers and instruction on the structure of government and the role of the separation of powers and the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution.(B)The State Department of Education biennially shall submit a report by October fifteenth of each oddnumbered year, commencing in 2017, to the Senate Education Committee and the House Education and Public Works Committee documenting the implementation of this section.(C)The State Department of Education shall make available professional development opportunities to teachers regarding subsection (A) by physical or electronic means.”Time effectiveSECTION3.This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.Ratified the 24th day of May, 2016.Approved the 26th day of May, 2016. __________ ................
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