H 3079 General Bill, By Loftis, J.E. Smith, Funderburk, Pope, Clary, W. Newton, 
Brown, Whipper, Blackwell and Norrell

Similar(S 44)
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 12-37-220, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS, SO AS TO EXEMPT EIGHTY PERCENT OF
 THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF CERTAIN DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES AND TO EXEMPT
 THE VALUE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCE PROPERTY FOR RESIDENTIAL USE.

   12/15/16  House  Prefiled
   12/15/16  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
   01/10/17  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 66)
   01/10/17  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
                     (House Journal-page 66)
   02/23/17  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Funderburk
   03/14/17  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Pope
   03/23/17  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Clary,
                     W.Newton, Brown, Whipper
   03/30/17  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Blackwell
   03/08/18  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Norrell

H. 3079

TO AMEND SECTION 12-37-220, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS, SO AS TO EXEMPT EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF CERTAIN DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES AND TO EXEMPT THE VALUE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCE PROPERTY FOR RESIDENTIAL USE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 12-37-220(B) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 23 of 2015, is further amended by adding appropriately numbered items at the end to read:

"(52)(a)    eighty percent of the fair market value of a distributed energy resource required to be returned, pursuant to Section 12-37-970, or to be appraised and assessed pursuant to Section 12-4-540;

(b)    this exemption applies for property that became operational after property tax year 2012. For property that became operational in property tax year 2013 or 2014, this exemption applies so long as the property was not subject to a fee in lieu agreement as of December 31, 2014, pursuant to Chapter 44 of this title, or Chapter 12 or 29, Title 4. For property that became operational in property tax year 2015 or 2016, if the property was subject to a fee in lieu agreement as of December 31, 2016, pursuant to Chapter 44 of this title, or Chapter 12 or 29, Title 4, then the property is eligible for the exemption instead of the fee in lieu agreement so long as the taxpayer notifies the other parties to the agreement of the election no later than thirty days after the effective date of this item;

(c)    for purposes of this item, 'distributed energy resource' means property that is defined in Section 58-39-120(C). This definition includes, but is not limited to, all equipment required to meet all applicable safety, performance, interconnection, and reliability standards established by the commission, the National Electrical Code, the National Electrical Safety Code, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Underwriters Laboratories, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and any local governing authorities;

(53)    renewable energy resource property for residential use is exempt from assessment of the value of real property. For purposes of this item, 'renewable energy resource' is defined in Section 58-40-10, and also has a nameplate capacity of no greater than twenty kilowatts as measured in alternating current."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and applies to property tax years beginning after 2016.