South Carolina General Assembly
122nd Session, 2017-2018

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Indicates New Matter

S. 44

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Gregory and Reese
Document Path: l:\council\bills\dka\3029sa17.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 3079

Introduced in the Senate on January 10, 2017
Introduced in the House on February 7, 2017
Last Amended on February 1, 2017
Currently residing in the House Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: Property tax exemptions

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12/13/2016  Senate  Prefiled
  12/13/2016  Senate  Referred to Committee on Finance
   1/10/2017  Senate  Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 36)
   1/10/2017  Senate  Referred to Committee on Finance (Senate Journal-page 36)
   1/19/2017  Senate  Committee report: Favorable with amendment Finance 
                        (Senate Journal-page 8)
    2/1/2017  Senate  Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 26)
    2/1/2017  Senate  Amended (Senate Journal-page 26)
    2/1/2017  Senate  Read second time (Senate Journal-page 26)
    2/1/2017  Senate  Roll call Ayes-38  Nays-4 (Senate Journal-page 26)
    2/2/2017  Senate  Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 8)
    2/2/2017          Scrivener's error corrected
    2/7/2017  House   Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 6)
    2/7/2017  House   Referred to Committee on Ways and Means 
                        (House Journal-page 6)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/13/2016
1/19/2017
2/1/2017
2/2/2017

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED AND AMENDED

February 1, 2017

S. 44

Introduced by Senators Gregory and Reese

S. Printed 2/1/17--S.    [SEC 2/2/17 2:56 PM]

Read the first time January 10, 2017.

            

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.

Amend Title To Conform

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 and only applies for the ten consecutive property tax years after the distributed energy resource becomes operational. 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, and, upon the expiration of the exemption, at the taxpayer's discretion, the provisions of the applicable pre-existing agreement may apply;

(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. 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.    A.        Section 12-6-3770(A) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 134 of 2016, is amended to read:

"Section 12-6-3770.    (A)    A taxpayer who constructs, purchases, or leases solar energy property located on the Environmental Protection Agency's National Priority List, National Priority List Equivalent Sites, or on a list of related removal actions, as certified by the Department of Health and Environmental Control, or on property owned by the Pinewood Site Custodial Trust located in the State of South Carolina, and places it in service in this State during the taxable year, is allowed an income tax credit equal to twenty-five percent of the cost, including the cost of installation of the property. The credit is earned in the year in which the solar energy property is placed in service, but must be taken in five equal annual installments, beginning in the year in which the solar energy property is placed in service. Unused credit may be carried forward for five taxable years from the year in which the credit was able to be taken. A lessor shall give a taxpayer who leases solar energy property from him a statement that describes the solar energy property and states the cost of the property upon request. A credit is not allowed pursuant to this section to the extent the cost of the solar energy property is provided by public funds. For purposes of this section, 'public funds' does not include federal grants or tax credits."

B.    This SECTION takes effect in income tax years beginning after 2016 and shall apply and terminate in the same manner as provided in Section 1.B. of Act 134 of 2016.

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and applies to property tax years beginning after 2016.

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