Download This Version in Microsoft Word format
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 10 TO CHAPTER 37 OF TITLE 33 SO AS TO ESTABLISH A CAPITAL ACCESS PROGRAM PROVIDING FOR FLEXIBILITY IN THE MAKING OF LOANS BY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO SMALL BUSINESSES WHO FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR CONVENTIONAL OR OTHER GUARANTEED OR ASSISTED FINANCING, AND TO PROVIDE FOR FUNDING OF A LOAN LOSS RESERVE TO REPAY PARTICIPATING FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHO SUFFER A LOSS ON A LOAN, ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM BY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING LOAN RECIPIENTS, RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING, AND DISTRIBUTION OF RESERVE FUNDS UPON TERMINATION OF INSTITUTIONAL PARTICIPATION OR THE CAPITAL ACCESS PROGRAM ITSELF.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 37, Title 33 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 33-37-1010. For purposes of this article:
(1) 'CAP' means the capital access program created in this article.
(2) 'BDC' means Business Development Corporation of South Carolina.
(3) 'Financial institution' means a bank, trust company, savings bank, savings and loan association, or cooperative bank chartered by the State or a national banking association, federal savings and loan association, or federal savings bank, if that financial institution has offices located in South Carolina.
(4) 'Participating financial institution' means a financial institution participating in the capital access program.
(5) 'Small business' means:
(a) a retail or service business with annual sales not exceeding two million dollars;
(b) a wholesale business with annual sales not exceeding five million dollars;
(c) a manufacturing business with no more than fifty employees; or
(d) another business with annual revenue not exceeding two million dollars.
(6) 'State fund' and 'state fund account' means the funds appropriated by the General Assembly of South Carolina for the CAP, provided to BDC as custodian for the State of South Carolina, and deposited by BDC into one or more interest-bearing trust accounts maintained by it as custodian for the State of South Carolina.
(7) 'Loss reserve account' means one or more interest-bearing trust accounts maintained by BDC for holding and administering the loan loss reserve pursuant to this article.
Section 33-37-1020. (A) Upon appropriation of funds by the General Assembly for the CAP in the minimum initial sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars, those funds and funds resulting from later appropriations to the state fund must be provided to BDC for deposit in the state fund account.
(B) BDC shall establish the CAP to provide a loan loss reserve from the state fund to assist participating financial institutions making loans to small businesses located in South Carolina that otherwise find it difficult to obtain regular bank financing.
(C) The assistance must be provided by BDC through transfers by it from a state fund account into a loss reserve account maintained by, in the name of, and controlled by BDC as custodian to provide loan loss reserves for loans made to those small businesses.
Section 33-37-1030. A financial institution desiring to become a participating financial institution shall execute an agreement in a form BDC prescribes, containing the terms and provisions provided in Section 33-37-1040 and other terms and provisions BDC considers necessary or appropriate.
Section 33-37-1040. A participating financial institution originating a loan to a small business pursuant to this article shall:
(1) use its existing business and banking network to market and perpetuate the CAP so as to promote economic development among small businesses in South Carolina;
(2) provide financing to small businesses for their business purposes including, without limitation, expansion, start-up, purchase of fixed assets or inventory, facility or technology upgrading, and working capital;
(3) limit loans outstanding to one small business borrower pursuant to this article and the CAP to an aggregate balance outstanding of two hundred fifty thousand dollars or a lesser amount the BDC determines, in the exercise of its discretion for the benefit of the CAP and the small business community at large in this State;
(4) limit loans made pursuant to this article and under the CAP to those that are not guaranteed or otherwise assisted by another governmental entity or program;
(5) set aside an amount of at least one and one-half percent but no more than three and one-half percent of the principal amount of the loan, into the loss reserve account;
(6) obtain from the small business an amount equal to the reserve contribution made by the participating financial institution with respect to the loan;
(7) forward the funds collected and determined pursuant to items (5) and (6) of this section to BDC for deposit into the loss reserve account together with a written report in the form and with the content BDC prescribes; and
(8) report annually to BDC, in the manner and with the supporting information BDC prescribes, the outstanding balance of loans made by it pursuant to the CAP, and a projection and estimate of loans it anticipates making pursuant to the program in the succeeding year.
Section 33-37-1050. After receipt of the funds and report provided in Section 33-37-1040(7) of this article, BDC shall transfer from the state fund account to the loss reserve account an amount equal to one hundred fifty percent of the total of the contributions of the participating financial institution and the small business. BDC shall maintain accurate records to determine the allocation and allocable share of each participating financial institution in and to the loan loss reserves in the loss reserve account and shall provide a report of the allocation to each participating financial institution annually. BDC also shall provide the report to a participating financial institution upon its written request during the year, but not more often than quarterly, and to the South Carolina Department of Commerce quarterly. In addition, the BDC shall provide an internal quarterly report on the project job creation and capital investment associated with each loan.
Section 33-37-1060. If the participating financial institution suffers a loss on a loan made pursuant to the CAP and this article, it may request that all or a portion of its allocated loan reserve in the loss reserve account be applied to the loan. Upon receipt by BDC of a certification of loss by the participating financial institution, BDC shall release the funds in the account to repay the loan in whole or in part, in an amount not to exceed the actual loss incurred by the participating financial institution. BDC shall prescribe the form and content of the certification report.
Section 33-37-1070. Earnings or interest from the principal of the state fund account and the loss reserve account must be paid monthly to BDC:
(1) as compensation for its administration and management of the CAP and the accounts; and
(2) for economic development in South Carolina for the purposes and within the meanings set forth in this chapter and in the corporate charter of BDC.
Section 33-37-1080. If a participating financial institution that elects to discontinue its participation in the CAP has funds on deposit in the loss reserve account, the funds must be forfeited by the institution to the state fund and used in the CAP as loss reserves as provided in this article.
Section 33-37-1090. An independent certified public accountant, as elected annually by the board of directors of the BDC, shall conduct an annual certified audit of its management, administration, and recordkeeping in connection with the CAP and provide the audit to the South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions upon its request and the South Carolina Department of Commerce. Annual reports to the South Carolina Department of Commerce also must include projected capital investment and job creation associated with each CAP loan provided.
Section 33-37-1100. If a loan is not made by participating financial institutions for three consecutive years and the General Assembly does not appropriate additional funds for the program for those three consecutive years, BDC may pay over to the participating financial institutions their allocable shares of funds in the loss reserve account and pay over to the State of South Carolina, as directed by the South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions, funds held in the state fund account."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 10:00 A.M.