South Carolina H 3260: Excused school attendance for religious instruction

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3260 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3260

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 59-1-460, RELATING TO OPTIONAL EXCUSED SCHOOL ATTENDANCE POLICIES FOR 
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION, SO AS TO MANDATE THAT DISTRICTS ADOPT POLICIES 
AUTHORIZING STUDENTS UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION TO BE EXCUSED FROM SCHOOL FOR 
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION, TO ALLOW FOR THE PAYMENT OF RELATED DE MINIMIS 
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS WITH PUBLIC FUNDS, AND TO REVISE THE PROHIBITION ON 
RELEASING STUDENTS FROM CORE SUBJECT CLASSES TO INSTEAD ONLY PROHIBIT THEIR 
RELEASE FROM CORE ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION IN ENGLISH, MATH, AND SCIENCE.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 59-1-460 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 59-1-460. (A) The school district board of 
trustees mayshall adopt 
a policy that authorizes aany 
student under its jurisdiction to be excused from 
school to attend a class in religious instruction conducted by a private entity 
if:

 (1) 
the student's parent or guardian gives written consent;

 (2) 
the sponsoring entity maintains attendance records and makes them available to 
the public school the student attends;

 (3) 
transportation to and from the place of instruction, including transportation 
for students with disabilities, is the complete responsibility of the 
sponsoring entity, parent, or guardian;

 (4) 
the sponsoring entity makes provisions for and assumes liability for the 
student who is excused; and

 (5) 
no public funds are expended, other than for de minimis 
administrative costs, and no public school personnel are involved in 
providing the religious instruction.

 (B) 
It is the responsibility of a participating student to make up any missed 
schoolwork. However, no student may be released from a core 
academic subject classinstruction 
in English, math, and science to attend a religious instruction class. 
While in attendance in a religious instruction class pursuant to this section, 
a student is not considered to be absent from school.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 10:58 AM