The bill S. 62 seeks to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws concerning the Education Scholarship Trust Fund and the K-12 Education Lottery Scholarship program. It introduces definitions for key terms such as "eligible school," "eligible student," and "qualifying expense," while outlining the application process for students and schools, including eligibility requirements based on household income. The bill mandates that the scholarship fund be managed separately from the general fund, ensuring that allocated funds cannot be appropriated for other purposes. Additionally, it establishes individual online accounts for scholarship students and requires education service providers to certify compliance with program requirements, emphasizing that parents cannot be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses.

Moreover, the bill addresses the management of scholarship accounts, stipulating that any remaining funds revert to the K-12 education lottery scholarship fund if a student leaves the program or is no longer domiciled in the state. It sets a cap on eligible scholarship students, starting with 5,000 in the 2024-2025 school year and increasing to 15,000 by the 2026-2027 school year. The bill also creates the "ESTF K-12 Education Lottery Scholarship Review Panel" to provide recommendations for program improvement and mandates tracking student wellness through in-person attendance for online education service providers. Additionally, it clarifies that school districts can implement their own intra-district transfer policies while requiring a model interdistrict policy, and it ensures scholarship students can participate in interscholastic sports immediately upon transferring. The act will take effect upon the Governor's approval.

Statutes affected:
12/11/2024: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/14/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/16/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/23/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/28/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/29/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/29/2025-A: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/30/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/30/2025-A: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
01/31/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
02/04/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
02/20/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
02/26/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
04/16/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
04/22/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
04/23/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
04/23/2025-A: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
04/23/2025-B: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
04/29/2025: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350
Latest Version: 59-8-110, 59-8-115, 59-8-120, 59-8-125, 59-8-130, 59-8-135, 59-8-140, 59-8-145, 59-8-150, 59-8-160, 59-8-165, 59-8-170, 59-150-350