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A56, R90, H3584
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Sandifer and Gambrell
Document Path: l:\council\bills\agm\18465ab11.docx
Introduced in the House on February 3, 2011
Introduced in the Senate on February 23, 2011
Last Amended on June 1, 2011
Passed by the General Assembly on June 2, 2011
Governor's Action: June 14, 2011, Signed
Summary: Energy-efficiency and conservation improvements
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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2/3/2011 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 5)
2/3/2011 House Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
(House Journal-page 5)
2/16/2011 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Labor,
Commerce and Industry (House Journal-page 2)
2/22/2011 House Amended (House Journal-page 26)
2/22/2011 House Read second time (House Journal-page 26)
2/23/2011 House Read third time and sent to Senate
(House Journal-page 19)
2/23/2011 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 24)
2/23/2011 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 24)
3/7/2011 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Rankin (ch), Hutto, Campbell
5/25/2011 Senate Polled out of committee Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 10)
5/25/2011 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 10)
6/1/2011 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 80)
6/1/2011 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 80)
6/1/2011 Senate Roll call Ayes-42 Nays-1 (Senate Journal-page 80)
6/2/2011 Senate Read third time and returned to House with amendments
(Senate Journal-page 13)
6/2/2011 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
(House Journal-page 70)
6/2/2011 House Roll call Yeas-93 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 70)
6/8/2011 Ratified R 90
6/14/2011 Signed By Governor
6/20/2011 Effective date 06/14/11
6/20/2011 Act No. 56
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
2/3/2011
2/16/2011
2/22/2011
5/25/2011
6/1/2011
(A56, R90, H3584)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 58-37-50, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE FINANCING AGREEMENTS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF CERTAIN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION IMPROVEMENTS, SO AS TO CORRECT AN ERRONEOUS CROSS-REFERENCE, TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CHANGE, TO PROVIDE WHERE AN ELECTRICITY OR NATURAL GAS PROVIDER CONTRACTS WITH A THIRD PARTY TO PERFORM CERTAIN FUNCTIONS, THE LIABILITY OF THE THIRD PARTY IS LIMITED IN A SPECIFIC MANNER, AND TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION TO THE LIMITATIONS OF THE APPLICABILITY OF THIS SECTION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Financing agreements for energy efficiency and conservation improvements
SECTION 1. Section 58-37-50(H) through (K) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 141 of 2010, is amended to read:
"(H) An electricity provider or natural gas provider may enter into agreements for the installation of energy efficiency and conservation measures and the recovery of the costs, including financing costs, of the measures with respect to rental properties by filing a notice of meter conservation charge as provided in subsection (G) and by complying with the provisions of this subsection:
(1) The energy audit required by subsection (F) must be conducted and the results provided to both the landlord and the tenant living in the rental property at the time the agreement is entered.
(2) If both the landlord and tenant agree, the electricity provider or natural gas provider may recover the costs of the energy efficiency and conservation measures, including financing costs, through a meter conservation charge on the account associated with the rental property occupied by the tenant. The agreement must provide notice to the landlord of the provisions contained in item (3).
(3) With respect to a subsequent tenant occupying a rental unit benefiting from the installation of energy efficiency and conservation measures, the electricity provider or natural gas provider may continue to recover the costs, including financing costs, of the measures through a meter conservation charge on the account associated with the rental property occupied by the tenant. With respect to a subsequent tenant, the landlord must give a written notice of meter conservation charge in the same manner as required by Section 27-40-240. If the landlord fails to give the subsequent tenant the required notice of meter conservation charge, the tenant may deduct from his rent, for no more than one-half of the term of the rental agreement, the amount of the meter conservation charge paid to the electricity provider or natural gas provider.
(I) Agreements entered pursuant to the provisions of this section are exempt from the provisions of the South Carolina Consumer Protection Code, Title 37 of the South Carolina Code of Laws.
(J) An electricity provider or natural gas provider may contract with third parties to perform functions permitted under this section, including the financing of the costs of energy efficiency and conservation measures. A third party must comply with all applicable provisions of this section. When an electricity or natural gas provider contracts with a third party to perform administrative or financing functions under this subsection, the liability of the third party is limited in the same manner as an electricity provider or natural gas provider is under subsection (E).
(K) The provisions of this section apply only to energy efficiency and conservation measures for a residence already occupied at the time the measures are taken. The procedures allowed by this section may not be used with respect to a new residence or a residence under construction. The provisions of this section may not be used to implement energy efficiency or conservation measures that result in the replacement of natural gas appliances or equipment with electric appliances or equipment, or that result in the replacement of electric appliances or equipment with natural gas appliances or equipment, unless (1) the customer who seeks to install the energy efficiency or conservation measure is being provided electric and natural gas service by the same provider, or (2) an electric appliance used for home heating is being replaced by an appliance that operates primarily on electricity but which has the capability of also operating on a secondary fuel source."
Time effective
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 8th day of June, 2011.
Approved the 14th day of June, 2011.
This web page was last updated on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 10:19 A.M.