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H. 4706
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Rutherford, Neese, Chumley, Hartnett, Gilliard, Rivers and Williams
Document Path: LC-0339DG26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Introduced in the Senate on April 15, 2026
Last Amended on May 14, 2026
Passed by the General Assembly on May 14, 2026
Summary: Racing facility
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
| Date | Body | Action Description with journal page number |
|---|---|---|
| 12/16/2025 | House | Prefiled |
| 12/16/2025 | House | Referred to Committee on Judiciary |
| 1/13/2026 | House | Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 62) |
| 1/13/2026 | House | Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House Journal-page 62) |
| 3/26/2026 | House | Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hartnett |
| 4/2/2026 | House | Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary (House Journal-page 6) |
| 4/14/2026 | House | Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Gilliard, Rivers, Williams |
| 4/14/2026 | House | Amended (House Journal-page 36) |
| 4/14/2026 | House | Read second time (House Journal-page 36) |
| 4/14/2026 | House | Roll call Yeas-110 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 37) |
| 4/15/2026 | House | Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 15) |
| 4/15/2026 | Senate | Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 41) |
| 4/15/2026 | Senate | Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 41) |
| 4/29/2026 | Senate | Committee report: Favorable Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 18) |
| 5/12/2026 | Senate | Read second time (Senate Journal-page 44) |
| 5/13/2026 | Senate | Amended (Senate Journal-page 52) |
| 5/13/2026 | Senate | Read third time and returned to House with amendments (Senate Journal-page 52) |
| 5/13/2026 | Senate | Roll call Ayes-40 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 52) |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Senate amendment amended (House Journal-page 43) |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Returned to Senate with amendments (House Journal-page 43) |
| 5/14/2026 | House | Roll call Yeas-113 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 44) |
| 5/14/2026 | Senate | Concurred in House amendment and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 51) |
| 5/15/2026 | Ratified R 252 |
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/17/2025
4/2/2026
4/14/2026
4/29/2026
5/13/2026
5/14/2026
(R252, H4706)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 15-1-350 SO AS TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN RACING FACILITIES, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, FROM BEING SUBJECT TO NUISANCE AND TAKING CAUSES OF ACTION FROM A SURROUNDING LANDOWNER, AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Racing facility, nuisance or taking
SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 15 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
Section 15-1-350. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Area of the racing facility" means within a three-mile radius of the perimeter of the property or contiguous group of properties where a racing facility is located.
(2) "Racing facility" means a designated area where competitive vehicle and motorsport races are conducted. The term includes the track, spectator areas, garages, and any associated grounds, buildings, or appurtenances used to operate the races.
(B) A racing facility is not subject to any action brought by a surrounding property owner under any nuisance or taking cause of action if the developer of the racing facility obtained all permits required for construction of the racing facility, established a vested right in the development of the property or contiguous group of properties where the racing facility is located and the development of such could have been discovered by reasonable inquiry including, but not limited to, a search of public documents or permits, before the surrounding property owner either purchased the real property or constructed any building in the area of the racing facility.
(C) A racing facility must have made reasonable progress in the construction of the racing facility within two years of obtaining all required permits in order to avail themselves of the protections contained in subsection (B).
(D) Nothing in this section can be read to limit nuisance actions of a law enforcement agency or government entity that are initiated to prohibit activity that is not related to the lawful construction and operation of a racing facility.
(E) This section does not apply if the racing facility makes a substantial and material expansion of operations that results in a significant increase in the overall intensity of use of the facility including, but not limited to, a demonstrable increase beyond a factor of two in the number of racing event days beyond historical patterns of operation existing before a surrounding property owner either purchased the real property or constructed any building in the area of the racing facility.
Savings
SECTION 2. The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.
Time effective
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 15th day of May, 2026.
Approved the _____________ day of _________________________________________2026.
This web page was last updated on May 15, 2026 at 5:15 PM