[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6107291,"mediaKeyId","2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f","parentId",2777006,"title","Committee codifies community eligibility requirements, bars meal penalties and requires districts to identify students in poverty","audioSeconds",563,"startMs",2601000,"endMs",3164000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f&start=2601&end=3164","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f/thumbnail_2601000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6107291/South-Carolina/Committee-codifies-community-eligibility-requirements-bars-meal-penalties-and-requires-districts-to-identify-students-in-poverty","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107291-3f4130d105116ad540e323e7ca00911c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052085&Signature=R~bsFbkq7En1g8n8JQRCQD1LsPWvuW62EkHqNXkXTIWGHLtj2NrND9hSz76mYh0qOIXri3cj448mV-Wg~x4MXkHyN2i0LIXIlNOVPwYQtbqzK0dJQqftqIeG-~zI4FkWPHJZYF9Gna~4fBrIAdYh4LB2ykanAURqlvQodryzbAVx2JTTF8atOvqY7Xy7XwPLKJtlRoC09X8G38Zym5UdgMn~mB~5aKslNEoZ1TuZuhbMP8ymABGyCrvupGPSMymW8zpxyGAz6JDqyMSnJlPQ7bKVfzwhUJ0w-ndLJR6ZgMRvFVw8zfwnjHYsDWqfJKrAPhZNZfyaxa1i2HeANE51ew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Carolina Legislature","date","2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Education Committee voted to codify a long‑standing proviso on school breakfast and lunch access that emphasizes community eligibility (CEP), requires districts to identify students living in poverty, and prohibits several punitive responses to meal debt.

Under the proposal staff presented, districts qualifying for CEP must adopt a resolution indicating their level of participation. Districts that cannot participate because of a financial hardship must adopt a resolution stating that inability and document the hardship. The bill requires districts to ensure parents and guardians receive the necessary applications and instructions to apply for free and reduced meals.

The measure would prohibit districts from publicly identifying or otherwise penalizing students who are unable to pay for a meal or who have accrued meal debt; examples spelled out in committee include withholding diplomas, barring participation in graduation ceremonies, and discarding meals after serving them. Committee members noted the change reflects widely used federal programs, and staff reminded the panel that the program is federally funded in its current form.

The committee adopted a staff amendment that suspends the bill’s requirements if the CEP federal provisions are suspended or discontinued. The committee then approved a motion to give the bill a favorable report to the full Senate by voice vote.

Supporters described the policy as a corrective to practices in which students were publicly shamed, disciplined, or denied graduation due to meal debt. Committee members also noted that expanded cross‑matching with federal benefit lists has increased districts’ ability to identify qualifying students and enroll them in free meal programs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Education Committee -- Senate Education Full Committee on S.269, S.416, S.425, H.3196 and H.3862 Wednesday, March 26, 2025 10:00 am ","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Education Committee voted to codify a long‑standing proviso to expand access to free breakfast and lunch, require districts to document CEP participation or financial hardship, and ban penalties against students with meal debt.","taxTitle","Education, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, South Carolina","taxId",17501,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6107296,"Committee advances bill letting qualifying districts hire licensed proprietary security personnel as an added layer to school resource officers",664,1914000,2578000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f&start=1914&end=2578","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f/thumbnail_1914000.jpg","/articles/6107296/South-Carolina/Committee-advances-bill-letting-qualifying-districts-hire-licensed-proprietary-security-personnel-as-an-added-layer-to-school-resource-officers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107296-3961cb372c3fa51ca2b82974aa9dfff0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052085&Signature=J30Kgg2EpfscxA9~WBYl2JqqDI-UPIoXuZ6mpwTQzgB3UegJlJ7ttW4Gv9aWJT0x1yu~IpIlB2-aaDtwg0asj7aSbm0QcBnWy5guBGMzGwTAGCYDpo9~8dcV8Y-YuycAAxbASnGVlktymqyBrghYLQupuVnw49QQnVJCFuPHgwoVcSylAzCT6HS1yz5g6p18pwLecM4oVgiuQDK~DeH47GYCZXXTlBQQkcA17GTwCpd~ISwEAkB8vrUROQOFfh3UqLb-i6iDIyCryucAV5Jj1mSKUYTMwOI2dL8F1NmtyhAGR~XPFJV2nI8uSakdZd6qysEzd44TlinZJfSO09GfTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee advanced Senate Bill 269 after adopting amendments removing a first‑draft enrollment threshold and adding committee clarifications. The bill authorizes school districts that meet specified organizational and training requirements to apply for a proprietary security business license so they may hire specially trained security personnel as a layered security approach in schools. Districts must maintain school resource officers and adhere to existing law governing SROs.

Katie Grinstead briefed the committee on the bill’s core elements: to qualify, a district must have a dedicated full‑time division for security and emergency management, a written agreement with local law enforcement for joint and continuous training, and the required administrative capacity. A subcommittee amendment clarified that personnel hired under this section may not act in the adviser or teacher role reserved for school resource officers and that a charter school applicant would apply through the authorizer’s superintendent.

Committee members discussed the original statutory threshold that limited eligible districts to those with enrollment of at least 15,000 students. Senators noted law‑enforcement concerns about smaller districts’ capacity to meet training requirements. Senator Anderson proposed striking the 15,000‑student threshold and letting the statute’s operational criteria determine eligibility; the committee adopted that amendment by voice vote. The amended bill also incorporates committee technical amendments.

Supporters said some large districts already contract private security firms and would prefer bringing that function in‑house with higher, consistent training standards aligned with SLED and local sheriff’s offices. The sponsor said the proposal is meant to supplement, not supplant, SROs and to provide districts with more control over hiring and training.

The committee approved a motion to give the bill a favorable report to the full Senate, as amended.

Committee staff will forward the amended bill to the Senate floor with the committee’s recommendation.","Senate Bill 269, amended to remove an initial 15,000‑student threshold, would allow qualifying school districts and certain charter operators to obtain a proprietary security business license to staff a layered security program that supplements but does not replace school resource officers.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6107301,"Committee gives favorable report to bill allowing charter schools to prefer children of active military families",397,1524000,1921000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f&start=1524&end=1921","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f/thumbnail_1524000.jpg","/articles/6107301/South-Carolina/Committee-gives-favorable-report-to-bill-allowing-charter-schools-to-prefer-children-of-active-military-families","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107301-5fc5a3765a6fcf8082f7593f8e74b50b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052085&Signature=FwvQzP99l1cjVxg37htJCVijmnSZ8ma2iAm3-LKmeV3NFCVtReh~~7ymDagvydi3GyyCoiIyCAnT08FHQiddHsSPJBotthe9I5g3tHx1pYT30mswvM81EbFksdcBU8yO~oa5a3pFxrBnNRtJnPLeqX8slFsq~4224kxP~xIWIJ1E4SLqGcT7oYFAXGKDwuVnoVDzrHG9yrvUzN4wycct8-0AKFb4LE8IJUVQb4nu98NDnPfy41gfKYBrqbUcEmxoIbw~s9Rt4MAyO2HWOEAEq62njOdGyaPAb3MjlJpoR6-BszQSNnJvtoUvljLJTBe~dK-g03WQW2tjuASJhSa2Bg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee voted to give House Bill 3862 a favorable report, sending the measure to the full Senate. The bill would permit public charter schools to give an enrollment preference to dependents of active‑duty military who are residing or stationed in the state; the provision could apply to up to 20 percent of a school’s total enrollment.

Katie Grinstead, research director, told the committee that the bill applies to “all public charter schools in South Carolina” and that the measure previously received second reading during last year’s session but did not complete the legislative process. Senator Young, who chaired the subcommittee, reported unanimous subcommittee support and described three witnesses who testified in favor, including the principal of Liberty STEAM Charter and a military spouse who described missing an enrollment window while her husband was deployed.

Senators discussed trade‑offs raised in earlier committee work: giving a reserved preference to military dependents means families on existing waiting lists may be displaced. “We’re going to let these folks jump the line,” one committee member observed, noting that high‑demand charter schools such as Liberty have long waiting lists. The sponsor and other supporters said the preference mirrors similar policies in nine other states and would help military families who relocate frequently.

The committee approved a motion to give the bill a favorable report to the full Senate by voice vote.

The bill’s text also lists other common enrollment preferences retained in charter law—siblings of enrolled students and children of school employees or board members—and includes a 20 percent enrollment cap for the military preference.","The Senate Education Committee voted to give a favorable report to House Bill 3862, which would permit public charter schools to allocate up to 20 percent of enrollment preference to dependents of active‑duty military residing or stationed in the state, along with commonly used preference categories such as siblings and children of employees.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6107306,"Senate panel carries over bill tightening teacher-notice rules, creating sick‑leave bank and revising certification language",1391,106000,1497000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f&start=106&end=1497","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f/thumbnail_106000.jpg","/articles/6107306/South-Carolina/Senate-panel-carries-over-bill-tightening-teacher-notice-rules-creating-sickleave-bank-and-revising-certification-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107306-19fe5b85268024c2080ed25c72792a10/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052085&Signature=bRRfCeNzOYeIOsdSlnm8y-meCTENGp6v~vIqElRfNdDsRXOSTUo~mk4IVDQ2B4nEJeNobbtxo4ev6OxaTIoA7oPvaUtrOXh4x06TnxCiNbI-dPCsWU2y8I4-0ZQeYcuKlQNzpFXnDKB3JOUnxi1bhoUiACS4oTOFECAXeNZWlJedxYfGf~x-zsgMuK3dH-jx7DpMkZmpOuBV4QlqsjOp5yX8DzCdi4FJjNq7eGIRuE4-AsIr8w9or25BzYezC8l5BIycOsRjDAfLHZLN1WjBFT~~eHKoR2BWF-whxyxT4-88~xX1pRWHswFqJ88jrFIC0ZS1lTk4wZlcl5ayUoni~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee carried over House Bill 3196 after committee members debated requirements that would change how districts notify teachers of reemployment, create a district sick‑leave bank, and alter retired‑educator certification rules.

The bill would require written reemployment notices to include a projected minimum salary schedule and a teacher’s tentative assignment at least 14 calendar days before students return to school. It would let certified and noncertified school employees donate unused sick or annual leave in excess of 60 days to a districtwide sick‑leave bank. The measure also would convert the retired educator certificate from a renewable credential to a lifetime credential with a five‑year maintenance request provision; the subcommittee amendment reinserted language excluding applicants with a prior suspension or voluntarily surrendered certificate.

Donna Barton, research director, summarized the measure to the panel: “This bill authorizes the department in collaboration with the EOC to use data already available [to] report on the in‑state and out‑of‑state college enrollment,” and she outlined the sick‑leave bank and notice provisions. Barton also described the subcommittee amendments that provide an exemption for districts that already have a leave policy in place and that clarify pay‑category factors upon request.

Committee members spent the bulk of debate on the provision that would create a penalty for districts that fail to meet the current May 1 statutory notification deadline. One senator described the policy shift from automatic reemployment as a substantive change and questioned whether a fine—described at different points in the discussion as “a thousand dollar penalty” and later referenced in committee discussion as a much larger per‑occurrence amount—was the right lever. The senator who proposed a monetary penalty said the purpose was to replace a passive renewal system with an incentive for districts to actively evaluate staffing decisions: “The most important thing the district office will do in a school year is hire their employees,” he said, and asserted a penalty would “give a district a hundred thousand reasons to be more engaged.”

Committee members also raised questions about whether the written‑notice requirement would apply to administrators; staff and the bill’s proponents indicated the section was intended to cover teachers as defined in statute. Members asked staff to clarify the definition and to consider phasing any penalty in so districts could adapt their processes. The committee chair recommended further drafting with staff and proposed carrying the bill to allow time for those edits.

Senator Turner, subcommittee chair, and other members moved to carry the bill over for two weeks of staff work; the committee approved the motion by voice vote and took no further action on final passage.

The committee flagged a set of technical clarifications—residency‑proof factors tied to tax returns, exact penalty language and phase‑in timing, and whether particular administrative employees are covered—that staff will revise before the measure returns to committee.","The Senate Education Committee carried over House Bill 3196 after members discussed new notification deadlines, a proposed monetary penalty for districts that miss statutory notification dates, a voluntary sick‑leave bank for school staff, and changes to retired‑educator certification rules.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6107286,"Committee debates expanding firearm expulsion rules and adding threat‑by‑communication offenses; committee carries bill over for redrafting",1450,3261000,4711000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f&start=3261&end=4711","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777006-c6dd4c6fa4edb21f048a232a3212267f/thumbnail_3261000.jpg","/articles/6107286/South-Carolina/Committee-debates-expanding-firearm-expulsion-rules-and-adding-threatbycommunication-offenses-committee-carries-bill-over-for-redrafting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107286-1d052ae1e8a04e1c2f0811066fdb1a0e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052085&Signature=EgrfrhYYIXUZRVmmNC1phOzK2z8agpji8Ba6K0lnRtHLdZr8w7LtlL2ncRdIrdva3jUopiltuu8b3uv80xRzOXboC0pDBb3aTZpxBTmzmkgKR1CL9T0Z1pXoCHuxKPJoMOD71v1GRrlIX8Cl2rN1pzdwiAbG~r3xbBFO9Q3GEwIgitsbgE91x~ZIZjtKiAQ9lz~2rcSqZ9IpVQbSXR92Dyu1Vo6s1UxR0mb3H4fvAvm-QGaUswXAKCO2y~AvZmMdoUx9VjJRokqPCPoawDS10TRXLrc4HTb430nSagBDna9DeRh3YGwDl~tBjIRW752yE~NLY3tK4p7Y6ICHUjKHng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 416, a measure that clarifies school discipline rules for students who bring firearms to campus and seeks to create a distinct disciplinary category for written or electronic threats of bodily harm, was carried over by the Senate Education Committee for additional drafting after an extended discussion.

Donna Barton, research director, told the committee the bill would differentiate general school discipline procedures from the distinct process required for firearm‑related expulsions. The bill would require a one‑year expulsion for bringing a firearm to school measured from the date of the incident; the bill clarifies that the district board of trustees must conduct the hearing and that a superintendent may not unilaterally reduce the board’s action, though the board itself could modify the one‑year requirement on a case‑by‑case basis.

The subcommittee and witnesses proposed a broader addition to the code that would create a separate category for a student who “knowingly and willfully” conveys a threat to commit bodily harm by means of written material or electronic communication; the proposed language defines elements and gives districts authority to impose discipline that could include expulsion for the current school year unless the board decides otherwise. Committee members pressed staff on whether the proposal should include verbal threats and how to distinguish malicious hoaxes from protected speech or juvenile mistakes.

Members also debated whether the firearm offense should include a knowing‑mens rea element (knowledge) or remain strict liability regardless of intent. Senators discussed real cases in which a weapon in a trunk or an inadvertent transport could result in the same statutory consequence as a deliberate threat; members split on how much discretion to retain for boards and superintendents. One senator noted that the proposal would treat threats communicated by the internet or phone the same as a firearm on campus for disciplinary purposes; others urged narrowing or clarifying the definitions to avoid swift, disproportionate punishment for hoaxes or ambiguous comments.

Because the bill involves competing policy aims—clear deterrent language for threats and firearms versus procedural fairness and appropriate mens rea—the committee concluded the measure required more time for staff to draft language that balances those concerns. The committee voted to carry the bill over for further work and deferred further action to a later meeting.","Senate Bill 416, which clarifies expulsions for bringing firearms to school and proposes a new category for serious threats conveyed by writings or electronic communications, prompted extensive committee debate over strict‑liability language, hearing authority and appropriate penalties; the committee carried the bill over for further staff work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee codifies community eligibility requirements, bars meal penalties and requires districts to identify students in poverty

Committee advances bill letting qualifying districts hire licensed proprietary security personnel as an added layer to school resource officers

Committee gives favorable report to bill allowing charter schools to prefer children of active military families

Senate panel carries over bill tightening teacher-notice rules, creating sick‑leave bank and revising certification language

Committee debates expanding firearm expulsion rules and adding threat‑by‑communication offenses; committee carries bill over for redrafting