H*4875(Rat #0283, Act #0253 of 2018)  General Bill, By Ott and Clary
 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. - ratified title

   02/07/18  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 62)
   02/07/18  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry (House Journal-page 62)
   02/15/18  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Clary
   03/08/18  House  Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry (House Journal-page 112)
   03/20/18  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 51)
   03/20/18  House  Roll call Yeas-96  Nays-11 (House Journal-page 52)
   03/21/18  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 10)
   03/21/18  House  Roll call Yeas-98  Nays-11 (House Journal-page 10)
   03/21/18  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 6)
   03/21/18  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 6)
   03/22/18  Senate Recalled from Committee on Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 3)
   03/22/18  Senate Committed to Committee on Agriculture and Natural
                     Resources (Senate Journal-page 3)
   04/26/18  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Agriculture and Natural Resources
                     (Senate Journal-page 8)
   05/09/18  Senate  Committee Amendment Withdrawn (Senate Journal-page 85)
   05/09/18  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 85)
   05/09/18  Senate Roll call Ayes-42  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 85)
   05/10/18  Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 99)
   05/23/18         Ratified R 283
   05/25/18         Signed By Governor
   06/01/18         Effective date 05/25/18
   06/01/18         Act No. 253

H. 4875

(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.