Signed by Governor Henry McMaster

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report and pass a bill that amends the South Carolina Code of Laws to renew the First Steps program.

Highlights:

• Authorizes each county legislative delegation to appoint 6 members to a local partnership board (Sec. 1).

• Requires that the following entities located in a First Steps Partnership area recommend 1 member to the legislative delegation for appointment (Sec. 1):

• Department of Social Services;

• Department of Health and Environmental Control;

• Head Start or early Head Start.

• Requires that county public library staff located in a First Steps Partnership area recommend 1 employee for appointment by its county council (Sec. 1).

• Requires that each public school district board located in a First Steps Program area point on of its employees to serve as a member of the local First Steps Partnership (Sec. 1)

• Requires that members who miss more than 3 consecutive meetings without excuse are terminated from membership (Sec. 1).

• Exempts appointed members from the four year term and prohibits board membership from exceeding 8 consecutive years (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits elected members from serving in a holdover capacity after the end of their term (Sec. 1).

• Requires that the First Steps Partnership Board (Sec. 2):

• Submit for approval by the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees requests to hire a local executive director and that the request includes qualifications of the applicant, current and requested salaries, resumes of candidates, and information to justify the requested salary;

• Submit approval by the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees justification of and recommendations for the salary and any increases for the executive director;

• Implement and document annual performance evaluations for the executive director and for the completed document to be submitted to the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees.

• Prohibits overhead costs from exceeding 13% of the total state funds appropriated for partnership grants (Sec. 2)

• Requires that the partnerships submit a joint proposal to the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees in order to establish a multicounty partnership (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Office of First Steps and Office of State Procurement to adopt and develop procurement policies and procedures (Sec. 3).

• Requires that the chief executive officer of the Department of Mental Health serve as an ex officio voting member (Sec. 5).

• Requires that 2 executive directors from local First Steps Partnerships serve ad voting members on the advisory council with 1 appointed by the House Education and Public Works Committee and 1 appointed by the Senate Education Committee (Sec. 6).

• Requires that the advisory council develop, maintain, and serve as the governing body for a unified and integrated data collection system (Sec. 7).

• Requires that the advisory council develops and maintains parent knowledge-building activities to inform parents of all publicly funded early childhood programs and services (Sec. 7).

• Requires that the advisory council prepare a strategic plan at least once every 5 years which establishes clearly defined goals, strategies, and key measures of progress of optimizing the state’s early childhood system (Sec. 7).

• Requires that the board establishes core personnel policies and procedures for adoption by local First Step Partnerships and to develop a standard process by July 1, 2024 for reviewing submissions related to hiring, salaries, and performance evaluations (Sec. 8).

• Specifies that the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act as amended is permanently enacted and does not require future reauthorization (Sec. 9).

Full Bill Text