(A) There is created the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees which must be chaired by the Governor, or his designee, and must include the State Superintendent of Education, or his designee, who shall serve as ex officio voting members of the board.

(B) In making the appointments specified in subsection (C)(1), (2), and (3) of this section, the Governor, President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall seek to ensure diverse geographical representation on the board by appointing individuals from each congressional district as possible.

(C) The board shall include members appointed in the following manner:

(1) the Governor shall appoint one member from each of the following sectors:

(a) parents of young children;

(b) business community;

(c) early childhood educators;

(d) medical providers;

(e) child care and development providers; and

(f) the General Assembly, one member from the Senate and one member from the House of Representatives;

(2) the President of the Senate shall appoint one member from each of the following sectors:

(a) parents of young children;

(b) business community;

(c) early childhood educators; and

(d) medical or child care and development providers;

(3) the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member from each of the following sectors:

(a) parents of young children;

(b) business community;

(c) early childhood educators; and

(d) medical or child care and development;

(4) the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee or his designee;

(5) the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee or his designee; and

(6) the chief executive officer of each of the following shall serve as an ex officio voting member:

(a) Department of Social Services;

(b) Department of Health and Environmental Control;

(c) Department of Health and Human Services;

(d) Department of Disabilities and Special Needs;

(e) State Head Start Collaboration Officer; and

(f) Children's Trust of South Carolina.

(D) The terms of the members are for four years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. The appointments of the members from the General Assembly shall be coterminous with their terms of office.

(E) Vacancies for any reason must be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the unexpired term. A member may not serve more than two terms or eight years, whichever is longer. A member who misses more than three consecutive meetings without excuse or a member who resigns must be replaced in the same manner as his predecessor. Members may be paid per diem, mileage, and subsistence as established by the board not to exceed standards provided by law for boards, committees, and commissions. A complete report of the activities of the First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees must be made annually to the General Assembly.

(F) In the event South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness is not reviewed by the House and Senate Legislative Oversight Committees within the period prescribed by Section 2-2-20, a joint House and Senate committee shall conduct a review. The joint committee shall consist of five members appointed by the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee and five members appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. The committee must be co-chaired by one member of the House and one member of the Senate. A report must be provided to the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate within one hundred eighty days after the first meeting of the joint committee.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 361, Section 2; 2014 Act No. 287 (H.3428), Section 20.A, eff June 18, 2014; 2018 Act No. 152 (H.3591), Section 6, eff April 12, 2018; 2019 Act No. 1 (S.2), Section 77, eff January 31, 2019.

Editor's Note

2013 Act No. 101, Section 117.114, provides as follows:

"117.114. (GP: First Steps Reauthorization) Act 99 of 1999, the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act, is reauthorized for the duration of Fiscal Year 2013-2014."

2014 Act No. 286, Section 117.108, provides as follows:

"117.108. (GP: First Steps Reauthorization) Act 99 of 1999, the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act, is reauthorized for the duration of Fiscal Year 2014-2015."

2015 Act No. 130, eff June 1, 2015, Section 1, provides as follows:

"SECTION 1. The deadline in Section 63-11-1720(F)(4) of the 1976 Code requiring the Office of First Steps Study Committee to complete its review and present its recommendations to the General Assembly, as provided in Section 20 of Act 287 of 2014, is extended from March 15, 2015, to January 1, 2016."

2018 Act No. 152, Section 8, provides as follows:

"SECTION 8. Section 20B. of Act 287 of 2014 [reauthorizing the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act until July 1, 2016] is repealed. Act 99 of 1999, South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act, as amended by this act, is reauthorized until June 30, 2025."

Effect of Amendment

2014 Act No. 287, Section 20.A, rewrote the section.

2018 Act No. 152, Section 6, in (C), made nonsubstantive changes in (4) and (5); and rewrote (F), deleting provisions concerning the Office of First Steps Study Committee and providing for legislative review of the State Office of First Steps to School Readiness under certain circumstances.

2019 Act No. 1, Section 77, in (B), substituted "President of the Senate" for "President Pro Tempore of the Senate"; and in (C), in (2), substituted "President of the Senate" for "President Pro Tempore of the Senate".