South Carolina General Assembly
124th Session, 2021-2022

Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

H. 3072

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Pendarvis, Robinson, Cobb-Hunter, Matthews, Henegan, McDaniel and Henderson-Myers
Document Path: l:\council\bills\agm\19808cz21.docx

Introduced in the House on January 12, 2021
Currently residing in the House Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry

Summary: Eviction proceeding

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12/9/2020  House   Prefiled
   12/9/2020  House   Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
   1/12/2021  House   Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 59)
   1/12/2021  House   Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry 
                        (House Journal-page 59)
   2/23/2021  House   Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Matthews
   4/14/2021  House   Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Henegan, 
                        McDaniel, Henderson-Myers

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/9/2020

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

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 27-40-680 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A TENANT HAS THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN AN EVICTION PROCEEDING BETWEEN THE TENANT AND A LANDLORD AND TO AUTHORIZE THE COURT TO APPOINT COUNSEL TO DEFEND A TENANT IF IT DETERMINES THE TENANT IS UNABLE TO FINANCIALLY RETAIN ADEQUATE LEGAL COUNSEL.

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

SECTION    1.    Subarticle 1, Article 7, Chapter 40, Title 27 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 27-40-680.    A tenant is entitled to legal counsel in an eviction proceeding rising from the termination or alleged noncompliance with a rental agreement with the landlord. If the magistrate or circuit court judge determines that the tenant is unable financially to retain adequate legal counsel, the court shall appoint qualified and experienced counsel to defend the tenant throughout the eviction proceeding. Such counsel must be paid fees and costs that the court deems appropriate."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----


This web page was last updated on April 14, 2021 at 12:40 PM