TO AMEND CHAPTER 29, TITLE 59 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO SUBJECTS OF INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS OF THIS STATE, BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-85, TO PROVIDE THAT ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL, PUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL, PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, MAGNET SCHOOL, OR HOME SCHOOL MAY OFFER AS AN ELECTIVE COURSE A ONE-SEMESTER, ONE CREDIT COURSE IN FIREARM MARKSMANSHIP THAT SHALL BE DESIGNATED AS THE "SOUTH CAROLINA GUN SAFETY PROGRAM" COURSE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF COURSE INSTRUCTORS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-29-85. (A) Any school district and charter school, public school, private school, parochial school, magnet, school or home school may offer as an elective course a one-semester, one credit course in firearm marksmanship that shall be designated as the 'South Carolina Gun Safety Program' course.
(B) A student shall be deemed to have satisfactorily completed the South Carolina Gun Safety Program course by demonstrating that the student has the ability to safely discharge a firearm.
(1) For the purposes of this section, 'firearm' means any loaded or unloaded handgun, pistol, revolver, rifle, or shotgun that will expel, is designed to expel, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive.
(C) The course of instruction prescribed in this section shall be developed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division in consultation with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, and private firearms organizations and may include materials provided by private youth organizations. At a minimum, the South Carolina Gun Safety Program course shall include each of the following elements:
(1) instruction on the rules of firearm safety;
(2) instruction on the basic operation of firearms;
(3) instruction on the history of firearms and marksmanship;
(4) instruction on the role of firearms in preserving peace and freedom;
(5) instruction on the constitutional roots of the right to keep and bear arms;
(6) instruction on the use of clay targets;
(7) practice time at a shooting range; and
(8) actual demonstration by the student of competence with a firearm by safely discharging the firearm at one or more targets.
(D) A participating school or school district shall arrange for adequate use of shooting range time by students in the South Carolina Gun Safety Program course at any established shooting range.
(E) Students who satisfactorily complete the South Carolina Gun Safety Program course shall receive a certificate of accomplishment.
(F) A person who is currently certified as a firearms safety instructor by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the National Rifle Association of America, a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, a branch of the United States military, the Reserve Officer Training Corps, the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, or the Civilian Marksmanship Program is qualified to teach the South Carolina Gun Safety Program course.
(G) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or expand the liability of any person under other provisions of law."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.