2016 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 63 - South Carolina Children's Code
CHAPTER 11 - CHILDREN'S SERVICES AGENCIES
Section 63-11-1720. Board of trustees; composition; study committee.

(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 Pro Tempore 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 Pro Tempore 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)(1) There is created the Office of First Steps Study Committee to review the structure, responsibilities, governance by an organization exempt from federal income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and administration of the Office of First Steps. The goal of the study committee is to guarantee that children from birth to school-age receive needed services from the Office of First Steps in the most effective way through coordination with other agencies that serve the same population. Also, the study committee shall determine whether the services provided by the Office of First Steps are provided in the most cost-effective and direct manner to entities served by the Office of First Steps, including County First Steps Partnerships Boards. The study committee shall evaluate the structure and costs of the Office of First Steps becoming an independent agency and make a recommendation as to whether the Office of First Steps should become an agency, remain as a program at the Department of Education, be relocated within a state agency other than the Department of Education, or any other alternative structure the study committee deems fit. The study committee shall also address the issues concerning the governance of an organization exempt from federal income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 relative to the structure recommended by the study committee. When making its recommendation as to the structure, the study committee must include an analysis of the costs associated with a change in structure. Such costs include, but are not limited to, personnel, data security, data management, and fiscal services.

(2) The study committee shall be composed of:

(a) four members of the Senate appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. Of these members, one must be appointed upon the recommendation of the Senate Majority Leader, one must be appointed upon the recommendation of the Senate Minority Leader, and one must be a member of the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees;

(b) four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee. Of these members, one must be appointed upon the recommendation of the House Majority Leader, one must be appointed upon the recommendation of the House Minority Leader, and one must be a member of the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees;

(c) one member appointed by the Governor, who shall serve as chairman;

(d) the President of the Institute for Child Success, or his designee;

(e) the Chairman of the Education Oversight Committee, or his designee; and

(f) the Chairman of the Joint Citizens Legislative Committee on Children, or his designee.

Except for the two members of South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees appointed pursuant to subitems (a) and (b), no member of the study committee may be a member of the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees or a member of a County First Steps Partnership Board.

(3) The study committee must be staffed by the staff of the Senate Education Committee and the House Education and Public Works Committee.

(4) The study committee shall complete its review and submit its recommendation to the General Assembly no later than March 15, 2015. Upon submission of its recommendation, the study committee is dissolved.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 361, Section 2; 2014 Act No. 287 (H.3428), Section 20.A, eff June 18, 2014.

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."

Effect of Amendment

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