April 17, 2026

With only 12 legislative days remaining until sine die, both chambers were bustling with committee and subcommittee meetings in hopes of giving bills a shot at passage as the session winds down. The House spent much of the week on the floor debating several bills while also moving many others to the contested calendar.  

Meanwhile, the Senate spent hours on the floor this week debating a bill to protect monuments and memorials. Several Senate committees and subcommittees also advanced a handful of bills to the floor. However, debate on these bills will have to wait at least one week as the Senate will begin debate on the budget bill next Tuesday. 

Bills of interest to counties are detailed below. 

State House Sound Bites

"A lot of them have already hired prosecutors to handle DUI cases, and I don’t understand why that wasn’t looked at any harder than it was by the Senate. But that needs to be handled in conjunction with the counties. If we’re going to have Home Rule, we need to have Home Rule."  

–Rep. Robby Robbins of Dorchester County in a House Judiciary subcommittee discussion on adding a centralized DUI prosecution system to magistrate court 

Bills of Direct Interest to Counties

Revenue, Finance and Economic Development

Municipal Capital Project Sales Tax 

S. 866 would enact the “Municipal Tax Relief Act,” authorizing a municipality located wholly or partially in a county that does not impose a 1% sales tax to impose a 1% municipal sales tax, subject to a referendum. At least 20% of the revenue must be used for property tax relief with the remaining revenue available to be used for transportation, infrastructure, parking lots or garages, core local government services, administration buildings, civic centers, police stations, fire stations, or any combination of the above projects. The tax could be imposed for up to eight years and could be reimposed for up to an additional seven years. SCAC worked with several senators on an amendment to limit the authority to cities within the two counties (Greenville and Oconee) that have never imposed a county-wide sales tax and to allow cities in Beaufort County to hold a sales tax referendum in 2028 if a county-wide referendum fails this year. The authority is not extended to any city in the other 43 counties. 

Status: The Senate gave S. 866 a third reading this week, sending the bill to the House. 

Heirs’ Property 

H. 4477 would allow a one-time transfer of property to qualified family members to clear the title of heirs’ property without it counting as a taxable transfer of interest.  

Status: The House Ways and Means Committee gave the bill a favorable report, and the bill is pending second reading on the House calendar. 

Special Purpose Districts Retirement 

H. 4576 would expand the definition of “employer” eligible for participation in the state optional retirement plan to include special purpose districts already participating in the South Carolina Retirement System.  

Status: The House Ways and Means Committee adopted a subcommittee amendment to add commissions of public works to the definition of an eligible employer. The Committee then further amended the bill to allow participating employers to elect to pick up all or a portion of an employee’s contributions for a fiscal year. The Committee gave H. 4576 a favorable report as amended, and the bill is pending second reading on the House calendar.  

Land Use, Natural Resources and Transportation

Protection of Monuments and Memorials 

S. 508 would prohibit local governments from relocating, removing, or disturbing certain monuments and memorials. As the bill originally proposed, any county or municipality that violates the prohibition would lose all disbursements from the Local Government Fund (LGF) until the violation is corrected.  

Status: The Senate adopted a committee amendment to remove the LGF penalty and narrow where monuments can be put back or transferred. The Senate further amended the bill to require, among other things, plaques and markers to be removed prior to the demolition of a government structure and to exempt a government entity that temporarily relocates or removes a monument or memorial, including road dedication signs, for construction projects as long as it is returned to its original location or close to its original location upon project completion. The Senate then gave S. 508 second and third readings, sending the bill to the House.  

Municipal Annexation of Farmland  

S. 264 would require the express written consent of an owner of real property on which farm buildings or agricultural structures are located—if those structures are exempt from taxation under Section 12-37-220(B)(14)—or of any real property assessed under Section 12-43-220(d), as well as any adjacent real property owned directly or indirectly in common with the exempt property, before a municipality can annex the property.  

Status: A House Ways and Means subcommittee gave S. 264 a favorable report, and the bill will be on the next full committee’s agenda. 

Mobile Home Zoning 

H. 5113 would prohibit local governments from preventing the continued lawful but nonconforming use of property when a pre-existing manufactured or mobile home is replaced with a new one. The replacement home must be no more than five years old. The county may prevent such use under certain limited circumstances. 

Status: A Senate Judiciary subcommittee gave H. 5113 a favorable report with the understanding that amendments may be offered at the next full committee’s meeting. 

Public Water Systems 

H. 5111, as originally introduced, would prohibit counties and municipalities from mandating connection to municipal water systems unless there is a public health threat documented through fines, fees, assessments, and penalties. The bill also would prohibit a county or municipality from denying building permits, certificates of occupancy, zoning approvals, subdivision approvals, or other land-use or development approvals solely because a property owner elects to use a private water well. Political subdivisions that knowingly violate these provisions would be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 per day for each day the violation continues. 

Status: The House adopted a committee’s strike-and-insert amendment that allows local governments to still charge fees, require well registration, and mandate continued connection to public water systems unless the system is unable to provide service to a property. The adopted amendment also removes enforcement mechanisms (like lawsuits and penalties against local governments) and replaces them with more regulatory oversight and conditions favoring local water systems. The House gave H. 5111 second and third readings and sent the bill to the Senate.  

Utility Relocation During Transportation Projects 

H. 3768 would extend the sunset provisions relating to transportation improvement projects in Act 36 of 2019 from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2032. This act sets forth a system of cost-sharing for relocating utilities during transportation projects. 

Status: The Senate gave H. 3768 a third reading, sending the bill back to the House for consideration of their amendment, which extended the sunset from 2031 to 2032. 

Foreign-Owned Land 

H. 3408 would prohibit companies from owning, leasing, or controlling real estate in South Carolina if they are owned or controlled, in whole or in part, by entities tied to U.S. designated foreign adversaries such as the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. The bill would authorize the South Carolina attorney general, local government attorneys, or certain affected parties to file legal actions to remove the foreign adversary from the property and confirm the invalidity of the transaction and would clarify that the law must not conflict with any applicable international treaties. 

Status: The House Judiciary Committee amended H. 3408 to restrict the prohibition to farmland and to tie the definition of foreign adversary to the federal definition before giving the bill a favorable report, as amended. H. 3408 is pending second reading on the House calendar.  

Energy Standards for Construction 

H. 5216 would modernize energy code standards for public and commercial buildings, which are now subject to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. The House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee adopted an amendment outlining that statewide modifications to the Energy Standard for construction not falling within the scope of the International Residential Code, including emergency modifications, may be made in the same manner as other building codes adopted by the South Carolina Building Codes Council. 

Status: The House adopted the committee amendment before moving the bill to the contested second reading calendar. 

Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs) 

S. 222 would allow UTVs and farm UTVs to be used on public roadways with a speed limit up to 35 mph and would create regulations surrounding this usage, including limiting operation to within four miles of the address on the registration. The bill would prohibit a county from imposing any tax or fee on UTVs, but counties could require proof of residency for an operation permit sticker. The bill also would allow counties to regulate operation of UTVs in unincorporated areas by ordinance. 

Status: The Senate amended the bill to delete all references to farm UTVs, to require a person operating a UTV to be at least 17 years old with a valid driver’s license, to change the maximum speed limit of roads in which UTVs can be operated to up to 55 mph, to increase the range of operation to within 10 miles, and to prohibit a modified exhaust system that is louder than its manufactured design. The Senate then gave the bill a second reading and carried over all remaining amendments to third reading.

Public Safety, Judicial and Corrections

S. 903 would require certain homeowners' association documents to be subject to Section 30-5-30. This is an SCAC policy position. A committee amendment further defines “governing documents” and establishes a filing timeframe. 

Status: The Senate gave S. 903 a second reading, and the bill is pending third reading on the Senate calendar. 

Firefighters Workers’ Compensation Coverage 

H. 3163 would revise the list of existing occupational diseases that are currently compensable under the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Law to include the occurrence of a stroke as one of the conditions that are presumed to have “arisen out of and in the course of employment” for firefighters. SCAC staff testified in support of an amendment to the bill and after verifying that this presumption only applies if the condition or conditions develop while a firefighter is actively engaged in fighting a fire, participating in a technical rescue incident or training exercise that involves stressful or strenuous physical activity, or within 24 hours thereof. The presumption does not apply to clerical, administrative, or sedentary activities.  

Status: A Senate Judiciary subcommittee gave H. 3163 a favorable report, and the bill will be on the next full committee’s agenda.  

Drone Regulations 

H. 4679 would establish statewide regulation of drone operation, create criminal penalties, and authorize law enforcement to detain individuals, investigate violations, and confiscate violating drones. Operating a drone in restricted areas would be a misdemeanor, while more serious offenses such as weaponizing a drone, unlawfully surveilling, or smuggling contraband to correctional facilities would be a felony. Exemptions for law enforcement, emergency medical services, military, and agricultural operations are included. The legislation would not apply to employees of any state, county, municipal, or local government agency or department acting withing the scope of their employment or official duties. 

Status: The House amended the bill to conform the language to federal law and to add several additional circumstances under which drones cannot be operated. One of these circumstances is for monitoring or otherwise collecting visual, photographic, video, geospatial, thermal, or other sensor information regarding a military installation, a correctional or detention facility, an emergency response site, or any large event for the purpose of identifying vulnerabilities, security measures, ingress or egress routes, response patterns, or other operational features. The House then gave H. 4679 second and third readings, sending the bill to the Senate. 

Master-In-Equity Term in Office 

S. 879 would standardize the terms in office for masters-in-equity beginning in 2027. For any new master-in-equity court established after Jan. 1, 2027, the initial term will start July 1, the year the court is created. For existing masters-in-equity, terms will be adjusted to expire on June 30—either in the year it was originally set to end if it was on or before July 1 of that year or if their term was set to end after July 1, the following June 30.  

Status: The Senate gave S. 879 second and third readings this week, sending the bill to the House. 

DUI Reform 

S. 52 would reform the penalties for people convicted of driving under the influence. The bill would create a centralized magistrate court and establish new jury areas within each county. This centralized court would have jurisdiction over all magistrate-level offenses involving alcohol for first and second offense violations of Sections 56-5-2930 and 56-5-2933, as well as any other magistrate-level offenses as determined by the circuit solicitor. This also includes these offenses in the jurisdiction of municipal court if the solicitor has informed the court and attorney that they will assume prosecution of first offense violations. The clerk of court would be required to forward the arrest warrant or charging documents for these violations to the judicial circuit solicitor.  

Status: A House Judiciary subcommittee took extensive testimony on S. 52 before carrying the bill over to hear from more people. 

Help Find Missing Americans 

S. 745 would enact the “Help Find Missing Americans Act” which allows a wireless device account holder, after filing a missing person’s report, to submit a written request to the wireless service provider to provide access information for the individual’s telecommunications device. The information request is limited to location information, phone numbers to which calls were made or received, and the amount of wireless data used.  

Status: A Senate Judiciary subcommittee gave the bill a favorable report, and the bill will be on the next full committee’s agenda.  

Deed Theft 

S. 822 would create the felony of deed theft and make it unlawful for a person to alter, forge, or counterfeit any real estate instruments; possess or use a real estate instrument knowing it to have been altered, forged or counterfeited; or use a false or fictitious name or address, make a materially false statement, fail to disclose a security interest or conceal any other material fact in the filing of a real estate instrument. However, real estate attorneys could file corrective deeds and mortgages to make changes to real estate instruments. 

Status: The Senate further amended the bill to allow a victim to bring an action in circuit court against the wrongdoer before giving the bill a second reading. The bill is pending third reading on the Senate calendar. 

Electronic Monitoring Companies 

H. 5401 would create new penalties for the unlawful operation of an electronic monitoring company. Under current law, electronic monitoring companies must be licensed by the State Law Enforcement Division. Notice of a violation must be given to a defendant or their counsel and may be provided in writing by the court, the clerk of court, the solicitor’s office, or by any other method reasonably calculated to provide actual notice to the defendant. 

Status: The House Judiciary Committee adopted a technical amendment and gave H. 5401 a favorable report, as amended Tuesday. The House then gave H. 5401 second and third readings, sending the bill to the Senate. 

Pregnancy During Incarceration 

S. 385 would enact the “Women's Childbirth Alternatives, Resources, and Education Act” to support pregnant women in incarceration facilities. It would mandate pregnancy testing upon admission, allow for supervised pre-incarceration probation under certain conditions, and permit deferred sentencing for nonviolent offenders at least 12 weeks after childbirth. The act also would establish penalties for failure to surrender, outline procedures for pregnancy loss during probation, and set reporting requirements. 

Status: The Senate adopted a committee amendment to allow a judge to place the defendant on supervised probation or delay incarceration from 12 weeks to 12 months if a defendant is pregnant or in a postpartum period. The defendant must surrender to the jail of the county of conviction for sentencing after the postpartum period. The Senate then gave S. 385 second reading. 

County Government and Intergovernmental Relations

Special Elections/Candidate Filing 

H. 3557 would shorten the candidate filing period from March 30 to March 25. The Senate amended the bill to provide several dates for special elections, an alternative date if any of the required dates fall on a weekend or holiday, and change the effective date of various provisions of the bill. The Senate also amended the bill to provide a procedure to reopen the filing period for additional candidates if there are less than three candidates for any office or one or more of the candidates dies or withdraws.  

Status: The House concurred with the above Senate amendments, and H. 3557 will be enrolled for ratification. 

Primary Protests 

H. 3556 would authorize the state executive committee to hear protests for partisan county officers, partisan less than county officers (for example, a partisan-elected school board member), and partisan municipal officers. The Senate amended the bill to allow the committee by resolution adopted at least 60 days prior to a primary to require the filing of any protest or contest to be accompanied by a refundable deposit for hearing costs, not to exceed $750. The Senate further amended the bill to allow a municipal governing body to determine by ordinance when the terms of its newly elected officers begin, provided the terms begin no earlier than 48 hours after the certification of the results and no later than 80 days after the election.  

Status: The Senate gave H. 3556 third reading this week, sending the bill back to the House for consideration of the above amendments. 

Rural Emergency Hospitals 

H. 5173 would include within the definition of “hospital” all hospitals that convert to rural emergency hospitals for purposes of the State Health Facility Licensure Act and Medicare reimbursement. These hospitals provide outpatient/emergency services but do not maintain inpatient units. 

Status: The House gave H. 5173 second and third readings, sending the bill to the Senate. 

Local Government Lobbying 

S. 632 would bring county council members and their staff, including the board and commission members they appoint, under the statutory definitions and requirements for lobbying. This also would apply to members of the governing body of municipalities, special purpose districts, and school boards. Under the lobbying definitions, covered local body actions means any matter that may be the subject of action by a local governing body like proposing, drafting, and amending an ordinance, regulation, or rule; the consideration or making of an appointment; or the consideration of or decision to award grants or other funds. Council members and their staff would be prohibited from serving as lobbyists. However, acting in their official capacity as a public official or public employee is not considered lobbying. 

Status: A Senate Finance subcommittee amended the bill at SCAC’s request to ensure that counties’ membership in SCAC is not considered lobbying and gave the bill a favorable report as amended. S. 632 will be on the agenda of the next full committee meeting.  

Hospital Beds 

H. 5164 would create building and fire code exceptions for the placement of hospital beds in hallways during emergencies. A designated member of the hospital’s leadership team must make the decision to authorize hallway beds in justified emergencies. 

Status: The Senate Medical Affairs Committee gave H. 5164 a favorable report, and the bill is pending second reading on the Senate calendar. 

Other Statewide Bills of Interest

Discharge of Firearms 

H. 3650 would make it a violent crime for anyone to knowingly and intentionally discharge a firearm at or into a dwelling, house, other building, structure, enclosure, vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or other conveyance, device, or equipment. The person must be fined no more than $20,000 and imprisoned for no more than 10 years. If a person inside any of the structures is struck or has bodily injury as a proximate cause of the firearm discharge, the maximum penalty increases to $50,000 and 15 years imprisonment. The Senate adopted an amendment on the floor to change “intentionally” to “unlawfully and deliberately or with a reckless disregard for life” and to allow for exceptions in the case of defense of a person’s property or their life or while preparing, engaging or returning from hunting. The Senate gave the bill second and third readings, sending the bill back to the House to consider the amendments. 

Sales Tax Exemption for Emergency Services IP Network 

H. 5093 would exempt amounts paid for service contracts entered into by state or political subdivisions for Emergency Services IP Network in support of “Next Generation 911” in South Carolina from sales tax. The House Ways and Means Committee gave the bill a favorable report, and H. 5093 is pending second reading on the House calendar.

County Conversations: Watch Policy Positions Update

The SCAC Advocacy team has tracked more than 1,200 bills this session, with more than 40 policy positions in progress across 60 bills.

Watch this County Conversations video featuring a brief policy positions update and tips for what you can do to advocate for counties as the session winds down from SCAC Director of Governmental Affairs Owen McBride.

Newly Introduced Legislation

See below links for summaries of legislation introduced this week.

House Bills

Senate Bills

View/Download Full Text for Newly-Introduced Legislation

You can also go to www.scstatehouse.gov and click on "Legislation," then "Introduced Legislation."

Note: If you would like to offer comments to the SCAC staff, please call us toll-free at 1-800-922-6081, fax to (803) 252-0379, or send an email.