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The South Carolina Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (SC-AI-Workforce)

South Carolina state companion to the AI Workforce Act. Extends the SC Business One Stop portal, SC Department of Commerce, and S.C. Code Sec. 12-6-3415 R&D credit infrastructure.

THE SOUTH CAROLINA PRO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI WORKFORCE ACT (SC-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. South Carolina General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House Labor, Commerce and Industry / Ways and Means and Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “South Carolina Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (SC-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that South Carolina operates business-formation services through the Secretary of State under S.C. Code Title 33 (Corporations) and Title 33 Ch. 44 (Uniform Limited Liability Company Act); that the SC Department of Commerce administers economic-development incentives; that S.C. Code Sec. 12-6-3415 provides a research-and-development credit; that DEW administers Individual Training Accounts; and that data-handling obligations are governed by general S.C. commercial law. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH SOUTH CAROLINA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Qualified AI startup” means an SC-formed business entity under S.C. Code Title 33 whose principal business is AI-related software or services, with fewer than 50 FTE employees at claim.
  2. (b) “AI-displaced worker” means an SC-domiciled worker with AI-driven separation.
  3. (c) “DEW provider” means a provider on the South Carolina ETPL.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing South Carolina Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • S.C. Code Title 33 (corporations; Ch. 44 LLCs).
  • S.C. Code Sec. 12-6-3415 (R&D credit); Title 12 Ch. 6 (income tax credits); S.C. Code Sec. 12-6-3360 (Job Tax Credit).
  • S.C. Code Title 13 Ch. 1 (SC Department of Commerce).
  • S.C. Code Title 41 (DEW).
  • S.C. Code Title 59 Ch. 18 (K-12 accountability) and Ch. 103 (higher education).

TITLE II — STATE BUSINESS-FORMATION REFORM

Sec. 201. Secretary of State Business-Formation Streamlining

  1. (a) Same-business-day formation pathway for domestic LLCs under Title 33 Ch. 44 and corporations under Title 33.
  2. (b) Machine-readable API within 12 months.

Sec. 202. One-Stop South Carolina Business Portal

  1. (a) The Secretary of State, SC Department of Commerce, SC Department of Revenue, and DEW shall operate a One-Stop South Carolina Business Portal integrating entity formation, tax registration, unemployment registration, and DEW Employer of Record registration.

TITLE III — SOUTH CAROLINA AI WORKFORCE TRANSITION

Sec. 301. AI Workforce Transition Accounts

  1. (a) An AI-displaced worker may establish an Account at a Local Workforce Development Board under S.C. Code Title 41 to pay tuition to a DEW provider for reskilling to an SCRMC under SC-ACSA Sec. 201 or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Funding through state appropriations and SC’s allocation of Federal workforce funds under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3161 et seq.

Sec. 302. DEW Integration

  1. (a) Administered through existing Local Workforce Development Boards.
  2. (b) Administrative overhead not to exceed 10 percent.

TITLE IV — SOUTH CAROLINA AI ENTREPRENEURSHIP INCENTIVES

Sec. 401. South Carolina AI-Startup Research Expense Credit Enhancement

  1. (a) A qualified AI startup may claim an enhanced credit under S.C. Code Sec. 12-6-3415 equal to a percentage of qualified in-State R&D expenditures, subject to annual cap.
  2. (b) SC Department of Revenue administers consistent with existing mechanics.

Sec. 402. Capital Access via SC Department of Commerce

  1. (a) The SC Department of Commerce is authorized to prioritize qualified AI startups under its existing programs including the Job Tax Credit under Sec. 12-6-3360.
  2. (b) No expansion beyond appropriated amounts.

TITLE V — K-12 & POSTSECONDARY AI FLUENCY

Sec. 501. K-12 AI-Fluency Curriculum Option

  1. (a) The State Board of Education, consistent with S.C. Code Title 59 Ch. 29 (academic standards), shall approve optional AI-fluency curriculum packages for use by districts, charter schools, and ESTF participating providers.
  2. (b) Optional.

Sec. 502. Technical-College & University AI-Fluency Programs

  1. (a) The SC Technical College System under S.C. Code Title 59 Ch. 53 and universities under the Commission on Higher Education may offer AI-fluency certificate programs aligning with the SCRMC Registry.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect July 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce. Other South Carolina bills: SC-ACSA, SC-MEWRA, SC-GT&P.