The Senate met in regular session on Tuesday and Wednesday, and met in perfunctory session on Thursday. The House of Representatives was in perfunctory session all week and did not meet on the floor. Senate members worked through bills on the calendar, preparing to debate the state budget bill beginning on Tuesday.
Both the Senate and the House will meet in regular session next week. There are nine legislative days left until adjournment on May 8 in the regular session of the General Assembly.
The Senate convenes on Monday at noon for a special session to present and hear arguments in the proposed removal of SC State Treasurer Curtis Loftis.
Zero millage bill approved by the subcommittee
The Senate Finance Property Tax subcommittee amended and approved S102, the zero-millage bill. S102 would allow a municipality without an operating millage to impose one, with limitations. The amendment adds the requirement of a city-wide referendum for a municipality to adopt a millage. Next, the bill goes to the full Senate Finance Committee for debate.
For questions about the bill, contact Erica Wright (ewright@masc.sc) at 803.354.4793.
Military Tax Increment Financing bill on the Senate calendar
On Tuesday, Sen. Tom Davis made a unanimous consent request for H3333 to be moved from the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee and placed on the Senate calendar. With no objections, the bill is now on the second reading calendar awaiting approval by the Senate.
H3333 is the House version of the military TIF bill that was passed by the House. S190, the Senate version of the bill, has already passed the Senate. Both bills would include affordable housing as an allowable project in a TIF district, extend the bonding period for projects in a military TIF, and give local governing bodies greater flexibility when using TIF funds outside of the TIF boundary.
For questions about the bill, contact Erica Wright (ewright@masc.sc) at 803.354.4793.
Stay in Touch
The Municipal Association legislative team is on X. Follow Erica Wright (@EricaMuniSC) for updates from the State House. Also follow the Association at @MuniAssnSC. Don’t forget to listen to the From the Dome to Your Home podcast every Friday for a recap of the week’s legislative issues and a look to the week ahead at the State House.
Senate Judiciary subcommittee
S427 – Mistreating police dogs and horses – favorable report. Later in the week, the full Senate Judiciary Committee gave this bill a favorable report.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Expands the conduct and increases the penalties related to taunting, tormenting, torturing, injuring or killing police dogs and horses.
S447 – License plate reader system – favorable report. Later in the week, the full Senate Judiciary Committee carried this bill over.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Allows state, county or municipal law enforcement agencies to use an automatic license plate reader system to compare captured data with the SC Department of Motor Vehicles, SC State Law Enforcement Division, the National Crime Information Center and the SC Department of Public Safety. This bill also allows automatic license plate reader systems to be used by parking enforcement entities to regulate parking facilities.
Senate Finance Property Tax subcommittee
S439 – Manufacturing property tax exemption – favorable report
Summary of the bill as introduced: Increases the maximum reimbursement amount for the property tax exemption on certain manufacturing property.
S317 – Boat taxes – carried over
Summary of the bill as introduced: Allows a 50% exemption of property taxes on the fair market value of watercraft.
Senate Judiciary Committee
S288 – Transfer of development rights – favorable report
Summary of the bill as introduced: Allows a local governing body to provide, by ordinance, for the voluntary transfer of the developmental rights permitted on one parcel of land to another parcel of land that restricts or prohibits further development of the sending property and increases the density of development of the receiving property.
S399 – public transportation trespassing – favorable report
Summary of the bill as introduced: Charges someone with a misdemeanor in municipal court for entering a transportation facility after being warned not to enter the facility by the transportation director.
Senate Transportation subcommittee
S387 – Defines medium-speed vehicles – carried over
Summary of the bill as introduced: Defines a medium-speed vehicle, and outlines where the vehicle can be operated and by whom.
H3292 – Golf cart operation – carried over
Summary of the bill as introduced: Allows counties and municipalities to enact ordinances to allow golf carts to operate in designated areas at night.