H*4712(Rat #0173, Act #0167 of 2016)  General Bill, By White, Bannister, 
Rutherford, G.R. Smith, Lowe, Pitts, Hiott, Erickson, Clemmons, Loftis, 
G.M. Smith, Hayes, Sandifer, Whitmire, Cole, Simrill, Allison, Cobb-Hunter, 
Long, Huggins, Delleney, Pope and Bales

Similar(S 995)
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 12-43-230, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE TREATMENT OF AGRICULTURAL REAL PROPERTY, MOBILE HOME, AND
 LESSEE IMPROVEMENTS TO REAL PROPERTY, SO AS TO CLASSIFY OFF-PREMISES OUTDOOR
 ADVERTISING SIGNS AS PERSONAL PROPERTY AND TO PROVIDE THAT UNDER CERTAIN
 CIRCUMSTANCES AN OFF-PREMISES SIGN SITE MUST BE TAXED AT ITS VALUE WHICH
 EXISTED BEFORE THE ERECTION OF THE SIGN. - ratified title

   01/20/16  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 6)
   01/20/16  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
                     (House Journal-page 6)
   02/11/16  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment Ways
                     and Means (House Journal-page 85)
   02/23/16  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Bales
   02/23/16  House  Amended (House Journal-page 41)
   02/24/16  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 12)
   02/24/16  House  Roll call Yeas-105  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 13)
   02/25/16  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 18)
   02/25/16  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 7)
   02/25/16  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance
                     (Senate Journal-page 7)
   04/06/16  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Finance (Senate Journal-page 9)
   04/07/16  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 40)
   04/11/16         Scrivener's error corrected
   04/12/16  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 15)
   04/12/16  Senate Roll call Ayes-42  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 15)
   04/13/16  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments (Senate Journal-page 24)
   04/21/16  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
                     (House Journal-page 31)
   04/21/16  House  Roll call Yeas-106  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 32)
   04/26/16         Ratified R 173
   04/29/16         Signed By Governor
   05/04/16         Effective date 04/29/16
   05/06/16         Act No. 167

H. 4712

(A167, R173, H4712)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 12-43-230, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE TREATMENT OF AGRICULTURAL REAL PROPERTY, MOBILE HOME, AND LESSEE IMPROVEMENTS TO REAL PROPERTY, SO AS TO CLASSIFY OFF-PREMISES OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS AS PERSONAL PROPERTY AND TO PROVIDE THAT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AN OFF-PREMISES SIGN SITE MUST BE TAXED AT ITS VALUE WHICH EXISTED BEFORE THE ERECTION OF THE SIGN.

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

Off-premises outdoor advertising signs

SECTION    1.    Section 12-43-230 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(e)(1)    For ad valorem property tax purposes, an off-premises outdoor advertising sign must be classified as tangible personal property. The sign owner must file a business personal property tax return annually with the South Carolina Department of Revenue based upon the original cost of the sign structure less allowable depreciation. Any sign permit required by local, state, or federal law must be considered as intangible personal property for ad valorem property tax purposes.

(2)(a)    If an off-premises outdoor advertising sign site is one-quarter of an acre or less, or is otherwise limited to an area large enough only to accommodate the necessary building structure, foundation, and provide for service or maintenance, is leased from an unrelated third party, or the sign is owned by the owner of the site, and the sign owner has filed a business personal property tax return with the Department of Revenue, then the off-premises outdoor advertising sign site real property must be assessed to the site owner at its value before the lease or construction of the sign without regard to the structure, the lease, or lease income, and no separate assessment may be issued for the sign company's lease or ownership interest. The lease or construction of such property does not constitute an assessable transfer of interest pursuant to Article 25, Chapter 37, Title 12, and the real property constituting the sign site must maintain its same property tax classification as commercial, manufacturing, agricultural, or utility property as it had before the lease.

(b)    The provisions of this item do not apply to:

(i)        real property whose property tax classification is subject to change due to the addition of buildings, structures, or other improvements subsequent to the erection of the sign on the property; and

(ii)    real property whose property tax classification was changed due to the erection of an on-premises outdoor advertising sign on existing buildings, structures, or other improvements unless the existing buildings, structures, or other improvements qualify within the same property tax classification pursuant to Chapter 43 of this title.

(3)    For purposes of this subsection:

(a)    'Intangible personal property' has the same meaning as contained in Section 3(j), Article X, of the Constitution of this State.

(b)    'Off-premises outdoor advertising sign' means a lawfully erected, permanent sign which relates in its subject matter to products, accommodations, services, or activities sold or offered elsewhere other than upon the premises on which the sign is located.

(c)    'Sign owner' means the owner of an off-premises outdoor advertising sign."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and first applies to property tax years after 2014. Upon the site owner providing written or electronic notice to the county assessor that his affected property was assessed other than as provided by this act, county tax officials shall adjust values and assessment ratios to reflect the provisions of this act, but no refund is allowed on account of the provisions of this act.

Ratified the 26th day of April, 2016.

Approved the 29th day of April, 2016.