Abbeville bills

Abbeville bills update

Background: In November of 2014, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the State was failing to provide students with a minimally adequate education in the 21-year-old Abbeville vs. South Carolina school funding lawsuit. After the ruling, the Education Policy Review and Reform Task Force was formed in the House. It was made up of lawmakers, business leaders and representatives from the plaintiff districts and charged with studying possible remedies and submitting recommendations. The recommendations, which included 12 major findings, resulted in a package of “Abbeville” bills that were filed in the House and moved through the General Assembly this year. The Senate also formed a special task force regarding the Abbeville bills.

In addition to the Abbeville bills, funding allocations were included in this year’s state appropriations bill for programs directed to the Abbeville districts, although the Abbeville districts are not specifically cited.

SC General Assembly response

The following is a description of the Abbeville bills that passed, those that did not pass, and budget provisos related to the Abbeville bills.

  • Download overview of Abbeville bills here.
Joint report to the Supreme Court of Hugh K. Leatherman and Jay H. Lucas

This Joint Report was submitted By Hugh K. Leatherman, as President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Jay H. Lucas, as Speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to the Court’s Order of November 5, 2015, in which the parties were directed to provide “a written summary to the Court detailing their efforts to implement a constitutionally compliant education system, Including all proposed, pending or enacted legislation.”

  • Download Joint Report here.