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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
A253, R283, H4875
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Ott and Clary
Document Path: l:\council\bills\gt\5437cm18.docx
Introduced in the House on February 7, 2018
Introduced in the Senate on March 21, 2018
Passed by the General Assembly on May 10, 2018
Governor's Action: May 25, 2018, Signed
Summary: SC Solar Habitat Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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2/7/2018 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 62)
2/7/2018 House Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
(House Journal-page 62)
2/15/2018 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Clary
3/8/2018 House Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and Industry
(House Journal-page 112)
3/20/2018 House Read second time (House Journal-page 51)
3/20/2018 House Roll call Yeas-96 Nays-11 (House Journal-page 52)
3/21/2018 House Read third time and sent to Senate
(House Journal-page 10)
3/21/2018 House Roll call Yeas-98 Nays-11 (House Journal-page 10)
3/21/2018 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 6)
3/21/2018 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 6)
3/22/2018 Senate Recalled from Committee on Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 3)
3/22/2018 Senate Committed to Committee on Agriculture and Natural
Resources (Senate Journal-page 3)
4/26/2018 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Agriculture
and Natural Resources (Senate Journal-page 8)
5/9/2018 Senate Committee Amendment Withdrawn (Senate Journal-page 85)
5/9/2018 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 85)
5/9/2018 Senate Roll call Ayes-42 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 85)
5/10/2018 Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 99)
5/23/2018 Ratified R 283
5/25/2018 Signed By Governor
6/1/2018 Effective date 05/25/18
6/1/2018 Act No. 253
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
(A253, R283, H4875)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING CHAPTER 4 TO TITLE 50 SO AS TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA SOLAR HABITAT ACT" TO ESTABLISH VOLUNTARY SOLAR BEST-MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR COMMERCIAL SOLAR ENERGY GENERATION SITES, TO ESTABLISH A NATIVE VEGETATION HABITAT AND POLLINATOR MANAGEMENT PLAN TO BE USED AS TECHNICAL GUIDANCE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT CERTIFICATES OF COMPLIANCE MAY BE ISSUED TO ENTITIES THAT MEET SOLAR SITE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
South Carolina Solar Habitat Act
SECTION 1. Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 50-4-10. This chapter may be cited as the 'South Carolina Solar Habitat Act'.
Section 50-4-20. An owner of a ground-mounted commercial solar energy generation site is encouraged to follow voluntary site management practices that:
(1) provide native perennial vegetation and foraging habitats beneficial to gamebirds, songbirds, and pollinators; and
(2) reduce storm water runoff and erosion at the solar generation site.
Section 50-4-30. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, working in conjunction with other state agencies and nonprofit conservation organizations, shall establish a native vegetation habitat and pollinator management plan to be used as technical guidance for the purposes of this act.
An owner of a solar energy generation site implementing solar site management practices under this section may claim that the site increases the habitat value by providing benefits to gamebirds, songbirds, pollinators, and small mammals only if the site adheres to guidance set forth by the wildlife habitat and pollinator plan provided by the department or any other gamebird, songbird, or pollinator foraging-friendly vegetation standard established by the department. An owner wishing to make a beneficial habitat claim must make the site's vegetation management plan available to the public and provide a copy of the plan to the department for review.
The department or another entity may issue a certificate of compliance to the owner of a solar site meeting the plan guidelines that the owner may use to promote its participation in the program."
Time effective
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon the approval of the Governor.
Ratified the 23rd day of May, 2018.
Approved the 25th day of May, 2018.
This web page was last updated on July 26, 2018 at 11:46 AM