The House met in regular session this week, while the Senate met on Tuesday and Wednesday and did not meet in session on Thursday. The House is taking a furlough week next week and will not meet in session or in committee. The Senate will meet on its regular schedule.
The House of Representatives gave second reading this week to H5066, a liquor liability bill, and the Senate placed S533, a joint and several liability bill, in a prominent place on the calendar for debate next week.
The deadline for bills to pass out of the originating body, or the crossover deadline, is Wednesday, April 10. The last day of the regular session is Thursday, May 9. This is the second year of a two-year session, so any bills that do not pass will be dead and must be reintroduced for the 2025 – 2026 session.
Senate committee approves military TIF bill
The Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee gave a favorable report to H4552, the military tax increment financing district bill. This bill amends current law to include affordable housing developments as allowable projects in a military TIF district. It also includes language that expands where TIF dollars can be spent and extends the bonding period from 15 years to 35 years. The full committee approved the subcommittee amendment to change the effective date to July 1. Next, the bill will go to the full Senate for consideration.
For information on this bill, contact Erica Wright (ewright@masc.sc) at 803.354.4793.
Property Tax Exemption bill in the House
S1017, the bill makes changes to a bill passed in 2020 that had unintended consequences to property tax revenue for cities, counties and school districts, was introduced in the House this week. The bill limits the available property tax exemption for nonprofit housing corporations to the percentage that equals the corporation's or nonprofit’s ownership interest in the property. This bill also prohibits annexation of agricultural property by a municipality without express written agreement of the owner. The bill passed the Senate and was read across the desk in the House and referred to the House Ways and Means Committee for debate.
For questions about this bill, contact Erica Wright (ewright@masc.sc) at 803.354.4793.
Abandoned Buildings Tax credit bill passes the Senate
S1021, the bill that extends the SC Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act tax credit to 2035 and increases the maximum earned tax credit to $700,000, was passed by the Senate, read across the desk in the House and referred to the House Ways and Means Committee for debate.
For questions about this bill, contact Joannie Nickel (jnickel@masc.sc) at 803.354.4794.
New Bill Introductions
Each week, House and Senate members introduce new bills that are referred to a committee to begin the legislative process. Bills that have an effect on municipal government are tracked by the Municipal Association legislative team in the legislative tracking system.
For questions about the new bill introductions, contact Casey Fields (cfields@masc.sc) at 803.933.1203.
Stay in Touch
The Municipal Association legislative team is on Twitter. Follow Scott Slatton (@ScottMuniSC), Joannie Nickel (@JoannieMuniSC) and 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.
House Labor, Commerce and Industry Public Utilities subcommittee
H5154 – Assesses a civil penalty on a gas utility that violates certain laws – favorable report. Later in the week, the full House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee gave this bill a favorable report. This bill received second reading in the House on Thursday with unanimous consent to receive third reading on Friday.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Assesses a civil penalty on a gas utility that violates certain laws.
House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee
H4867 – Requires all 911 telecommunicators that provide dispatch for medical emergencies be trained in telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation – favorable report as amended by the subcommittee to define T-CPR, require continuing education to be completed annually and cover government entities under the State Tort Claims Act. This bill received second reading in the House on Thursday with unanimous consent to receive third reading on Friday.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Requires all 911 telecommunicators that provide dispatch for medical emergencies be trained in T-CPR.
H4681 – Increases the number of First Responder Advisory Committee members to include a representative of the SC Coroners Association – favorable report. This bill received second reading in the House on Thursday with unanimous consent to receive third reading on Friday.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Increases the number of First Responder Advisory Committee members to include a representative of the SC Coroners' Association.
House Labor, Commerce and Industry Banking and Consumer Affairs subcommittee
H4549 – Enacts the Amateur Radio Antenna Protection Act – adjourned debate
Summary of the bill as introduced: Prohibits a county from enacting or enforcing an ordinance that does not conform to the amateur radio preemption issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
House Judiciary Committee
H5016 – Directs the governor to appoint the state auditor with the advice and consent of the Senate – favorable report. This bill received second reading in the House on Thursday with unanimous consent to receive third reading on Friday.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Directs the governor to appoint the state auditor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee
H4843 – Authorizes a business with a deck or a dock in a critical area to use the structure for purposes directly related to the business – favorable report as amended. The amendment removes local zoning board approval for a business to use a dock or deck and shifts the approval to the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Authorizes a business with a deck or a dock in a critical area to use the structure for purposes directly related to the business with local zoning approval.
Senate Judiciary Committee
S87 – Increases the caps under the Tort Claim Act – favorable report as amended by the subcommittee to make the effective date July 1.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Increases the caps under the Tort Claims Act from $300,000 to $500,000 per person and from $600,000 to $1 million per occurrence.
S533 – Includes persons or entities for the purposes of allocation of fault in the SC Contribution Among Tortfeasors Act – favorable report as amended by the subcommittee to restore section F that was previously stricken.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Includes persons or entities for the purposes of allocation of fault in the SC Contribution Among Tortfeasors Act.
S844 – Creates a study committee to review South Carolina's civil justice and insurance laws – favorable report
Summary of the bill as introduced: Creates a study committee to review South Carolina's civil justice and insurance laws regarding coverage availability, premium rates and deductibles.
S1048 – Establishes the basis for liability for a person or establishment who illegally furnishes alcohol –favorable report as amended by the subcommittee to correct a loophole that removed liability from establishments in certain circumstances, and to address proximate cause.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Establishes the basis for liability for a person or establishment who illegally furnishes alcohol to an individual who injures a third party based on what the furnisher knew under the circumstances.
S1175 – Clarifies that an individual who suffers death or injury by an intoxicated person has a cause of action for damages – favorable report
Summary of the bill as introduced: Clarifies that an individual who suffers death or injury by an intoxicated person has a cause of action for damages against the holder of a permit to sell beer, wine or liquor if the permit holder knowingly sold alcohol to the intoxicated person.
S723 – Authorizes an innkeeper to request assistance from law enforcement to eject a person from a lodging establishment – favorable report as amended. The amendment allows individuals to recover personal property that has been left behind and specifies a time limit for someone to take action to claim their property.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Authorizes an innkeeper to request assistance from law enforcement to eject a person from a lodging establishment.
Senate Judiciary subcommittee
H4231 – Allows a micro-distillery to sell certain liquors distilled on the premises on Sundays – favorable report
Summary of the bill as introduced: Allows a micro-distillery to sell certain liquors distilled on the premises on Sundays.
House Ways and Means Property Tax subcommittee
H5310 – Exempts a portion of the value of aircraft or an airline company from property taxes - favorable report. Later in the day on Tuesday, the full House Ways and Means Committee gave this bill a favorable report.
Summary of the bill as introduced: Exempts a portion of the value of aircraft or an airline company from property taxes.