TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO ENACT THE "ADVANCED MANUFACTURING INSTRUCTION ACT OF 2017" BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-250 TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 2017-2018 ACADEMIC YEAR, EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE ELECTIVE INSTRUCTION IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX THROUGH TWELVE, AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMINOLOGY.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This act must be known and may be cited as the "Advanced Manufacturing Instruction Act of 2017".
SECTION 2. Article 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-29-250. (A) Beginning with the 2017-2018 academic year, every school district shall provide elective instruction in advanced manufacturing for students in grades six through twelve in an effort to provide students with the skills needed to successfully adapt to evolutions in advanced manufacturing resulting from the continuous adoption of emerging, innovative technology.
(B) For the purposes of this chapter, 'advanced manufacturing' means a collection of activities that: (a) depends on the use and coordination of information, automation, computation, software, sensing, and networking; and (b) makes use of cutting edge materials and emerging capabilities enabled by the physical and biological sciences, for example nanotechnology, chemistry, and biology. Advanced manufacturing involves both new ways to manufacture existing products and the manufacture of new products emerging from new advanced technologies. Advanced manufacturing encompasses all aspects of manufacturing, including the ability to quickly respond to customer needs through innovations in production processes and innovations in the supply chain."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.