A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-250 SO AS TO REQUIRE ONE UNIT OF INSTRUCTION IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING BE OFFERED IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS; BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-260 SO AS TO REQUIRE ONE UNIT OF INSTRUCTION IN HARBOR PILOTAGE BE OFFERED IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS; AND TO PROVIDE THE INSTRUCTION PROVIDED IN THIS ACT MUST BE OFFERED BEGINNING WITH THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR.

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

SECTION 1.  Article 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

    Section 59-29-250. (A) Every school district shall provide one unit of elective instruction in advanced manufacturing that school districts shall offer in middle schools and high schools, the purpose of which is 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: (1) depends on the use and coordination of information, automation, computation, software, sensing, and networking; and (2) makes use of cutting edge materials and emerging capabilities enabled by the physical and biological sciences, such as 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 2.  Article 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

    Section 59-29-260. The State Board of Education shall provide one unit of instruction in harbor pilotage that school districts shall offer in middle schools and high schools as an elective course, the purpose of which is to provide students with an understanding of harbor pilotage as a career and have the skills to serve in an entry-level position in the field. Instruction in harbor pilotage must include an overview of harbor pilotage and of the process required to become a licensed harbor pilot in this State. The curriculum must be developed cooperatively by the State Department of Education, the Commissioners for Pilotage for the Upper Coastal Area, and the Commissioners for Pilotage for the Lower Coastal Area. Districts may provide the instruction virtually.

SECTION 3.  The provisions of this act apply beginning in the 2026-2027 School Year.

SECTION 4.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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