Thanks for your interest and concern on current SC legislation 2017-2018. I provide this information to help us all keep informed. If you have information on pending legislation that might affect homeschooling, please email the [email protected] or Facebook message the SC Homeschooling Connection.
These are the bills that have been introduced in the 2017-2018 session. The last day of this session will be May 10, 2018. Any bills that haven’t been made into law by then will have to be started all over again in the next session.
SC Legislation 2017-2018 Watchlist
These are not a red-alert situation. The legislative process is long–and we have key opportunities to give feedback in the process. So I will also include that information, who and when you should contact. Depending on where the bill is in the process, your rep may not be informed on the issue. Sometimes we need to contact the committee and/or the committee members where the bill has been referred.
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H4932 and S995: Income tax credit
This bill would allow income tax credit for contributions to a scholarship fund program. The program would then issue grants for certain independent and home schools. Homeschool families could apply for up to $1,000 of grant money for curriculum expenses. Special needs families could apply for up to $11,000
Similar bills have been initiated on both sides of the legislature. They do this to see which side will gain traction better and help fast-track it through the process. Both sides are still currently in committee.
Homeschoolers are divided on the idea of tax credits and tax breaks. Many see it as a baited hook to require more oversight. If it helps you decide what to think about this issue, HSLDA supports both versions. Currently homeschoolers in SC do not have tax credits unless you have paid college tuition for dual credits.
It’s currently stuck in committee. So, your input can help push it forward or stop it. Depending on what you say.
Contact:
- House Ways and Means Committee and/or any Ways and Means Committee members especially if this is your rep.
- Senate Finance Committee and/or any Finance Committee members especially if your senator is on the committee.
- Your Legislator to have them add their name as a co-sponsor. If you don’t know who your legislator is: Find your legislator here.
Other tax credit bills that have stalled out:
H3934: Would provide tax credits up to $5,000 for instructional based expenses for homeschool parents. Introduced and read in the House on 3/07/2017
S214: Would authorize a tax deduction of up to $2,000 per home school student per year for instruction-related expenditures. Referred to Finance committee on 1/10/17
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S1123: Life/Hope/Fellows Scholarships
This bill would increase the required grade point average and increase the SAT requirements for eligibility for state scholarships. Several other bills have been proposed to amend these scholarship requirements since the grade scale was changed in 2016. Currently in the Committee on Education since 3/15/18
Other scholarship bills:
H4032: proposed changes to the eligibility requirements. Left the homeschool qualifications up to policy to be drawn up by CHE–not specifically listed in the law. Referred to the Education/Public Works committee on 3/22/17
H3583: allows Palmetto’s scholarship to be deferred for up to 2 years after high school graduation, without declining the award. It has passed the House but was referred to the Senate Committee on Education since 2/22/17
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H3125: Temporary Placement of Children
This bill gives the Department of Social Services discretionary authority to temporarily remove a child from the home and place him or her with a relative or alternative caregiver if it is investigating a report of abuse or neglect. HSLDA opposes this bill. It has already passed the House and has come out the Senate Committee favorably on 2/28/18. If you wish to contact your Senator about any concerns, you can find your legislator here.
Other Legislation to Mention:
These bills have been introduced this session. But, they are a low priority on our watch list. Some have been stuck in committee so long or they only have a few sponsors/co-sponsors. They just don’t seem like they’re going to gain any traction.
H 4803: Equal Access Sports
This bill would eliminate the requirement that homeschool students must be homeschooled for one academic year before participating in public school interscholastic activities.
S 339 and H4439: SC State Scholarship
Promise Scholarship would offer another state-run scholarship for students in public, private, or charter school and to homeschool students who use Option 1 or Option 2, but not Option 3. I don’t know why they excluded Option 3–but it is highly unlikely that this would pass anyway. Since they are also considering ways to amend the current scholarships since the grade scale changed in 2016.
S339 referred to Committee on Education: 2/01/17
H4439 referred to Committee on Education and Public Works: 1/09/18
S.622 and H.4308: Education Scholarship Accounts
The proposed bills would provide ESAs to eligible students currently enrolled in public schools. Eligible applicants include children from low-income, military or foster families, children with specific special needs and children who are homeless. With an ESA, parents can direct the state’s education funding for their child into school tuition, books, therapies and services of their choice. S622 referred to Committee on Education 4/05/17.
H 4308 referred to Committee on Ways and Means on 5/10/17
Read more: Education Savings Accounts in SC
H3350: Compulsory attendance
This bill would increase the age of compulsory attendance from 17 to 18 years old. Referred to the Committee on Education and Public Works since 1/12/17
H4039: Similar to H3350 raising the age of compulsory attendance to 18. Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works 3/22/17
For more comprehensive tracking for legislation that affects children in all K-12 school settings follow Children’s Trust of SC here.
Read more about Homeschool Laws in a Nutshell:
Support Homeschool Rights in SC: Send $1.50 per sticker per sticker to: Paypal Here
Include your name and mailing address in a “note” with Paypal payment
School Choice Rally for Education in South Carolina
Current SC Legislation 2021-2022
Are Minimum Standards of the Law Enough?
Policy Change at Department of Education
About Kim Andrysczyk
[…] This post was updated: 2/17/2021. I encourage you to look back at previous sessions to see what bills were previously introduced because we can anticipate variations of them will likely be reintroduced in this session: 2019-2020 Session and 2017-2018 Session. […]