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H. 5005
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Bannister, Lowe, G.M. Smith, Weeks, Quinn, McEachern, Hamilton and Bedingfield
Document Path: l:\council\bills\nl\13405sd14.docx
Introduced in the House on April 1, 2014
Introduced in the Senate on April 30, 2014
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary
Summary: Municipal utilities
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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4/1/2014 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 11)
4/1/2014 House Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and
Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 11)
4/9/2014 House Committee report: Favorable Medical, Military, Public
and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 1)
4/10/2014 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Bedingfield
4/29/2014 House Requests for debate-Rep(s). RL Brown
(House Journal-page 28)
4/29/2014 House Read second time (House Journal-page 28)
4/29/2014 House Roll call Yeas-60 Nays-42 (House Journal-page 29)
4/30/2014 House Read third time and sent to Senate
(House Journal-page 43)
4/30/2014 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 14)
4/30/2014 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 14)
5/2/2014 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Rankin (ch), Hutto, Turner
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
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COMMITTEE REPORT
April 9, 2014
H. 5005
Introduced by Reps. Bannister, Lowe, G.M. Smith, Weeks, Quinn, McEachern and Hamilton
S. Printed 4/9/14--H.
Read the first time April 1, 2014.
To whom was referred a Bill (H. 5005) to amend Section 5-31-610, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the powers and duties of municipalities in regard to municipal utilities including, etc., respectfully
That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass:
LEON HOWARD for Committee.
EXPLANATION OF IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact on the General Fund of the State or on federal and/or other funds.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT:
The Municipal Association of South Carolina states there are no direct costs to cities.
Approved By:
Brenda Hart
Office of State Budget
TO AMEND SECTION 5-31-610, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF MUNICIPALITIES IN REGARD TO MUNICIPAL UTILITIES INCLUDING A WATER SYSTEM, SO AS TO CLARIFY THAT A REFERENDUM AND FAVORABLE VOTE OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTORATE IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE SALE OF A WATER SYSTEM; AND BY ADDING SECTION 5-31-1315 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, NO MUNICIPALITY SHALL BE REQUIRED TO CONDUCT A REFERENDUM, AND OBTAIN A FAVORABLE VOTE THEREIN, PRIOR TO THE SALE OF A WATER SYSTEM.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The General Assembly finds that:
(1) As a result of the June 29, 2009, holding of the South Carolina Supreme Court in the case of Sojourner v Town of St. George, 383 S.C. 171, 679 S.E.2d 182, it is now established as the law of this State that there is no requirement of law that a municipality conduct a referendum for the purpose of obtaining approval from the electorate for the sale of a municipal sewer system and that a provision of the Home Rule Act of 1975, S.C. Act 283, now codified as Section 5-7-40, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, independently grants municipalities the authority to sell its properties, including utility systems; and
(2) In view of the current state of the law, it is the sense of the General Assembly that municipalities should be not be constrained to conduct a referendum and obtain a favorable vote therein prior to the sale of a water system.
SECTION 2. Section 5-31-610 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 5-31-610. Any city or town may:
(1) Construct, purchase, operate and maintain waterworks and electric light works within or without, partially within and partially without, their corporate limits for the use and benefit of such city or town and the inhabitants thereof;
(2) Purchase, own, operate and maintain machinery, equipment and apparatus for generating either electricity or gas for the use and benefit of such city or town and the inhabitants thereof;
(3) Acquire existing waterworks by condemnation;
(4) Contract for the erection of plants for waterworks, sewerage or lighting purposes, one or all, for the use of such cities and towns, and the inhabitants thereof; and
(5) Sell, convey and dispose of any and all such properties, any such sale, conveyance, or disposal of an electric light plant or water system, however, to be made, except as otherwise provided in Section 5-31-1315, under the provisions of Article 13 of this chapter and not under the succeeding provisions of this article."
SECTION 3. Article 13, Chapter 31, Title 5 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 5-31-1315. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5-31-1310 or any other provision of law, no municipality shall be required to conduct a referendum, and obtain a favorable vote therein, prior to or as a prerequisite of the sale of a water system. However, if such a referendum or special election is ordered in the sole discretion of the municipal governing body, it must be conducted as provided in this article."
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on May 2, 2014 at 2:23 PM