State House Update: Poultry Flies and Solar Gets Moving
We have 6 legislative days left! We have some exciting news on solar and automatic stay. We also have a fight in front of us about how to encourage good neighbor relations between rural communities and the poultry industry.
We need you to help us hold legislators accountable in the remaining days of session. Visit our Action Center and take action to make sure your voice is heard.
Highlights from last week:
- The Poultry Pollution Bill (H.3929) passed out of the House Ag Committee last Thursday. While we are grateful for the work of the Committee to improve the bill with amendments, the bill still needs a good bit more discussion. If we are going to truly balance the needs of our rural property owners and the poultry industry, we need to take the time to discuss this legislation rather than have it fly through the House.
- Members of the House Judiciary Committee voted 14-5 to adjourn debate on the Auto Stay bill (S.105). We hope that means the bill is done for this Year, but we’ll continue to monitor it closely over the next two weeks.
The Week Ahead:
- The Poultry Pollution Bill, H.3929, will be on the House floor this week for a vote. While the Committee improved the bill, it still needs work. Instead of encouraging good neighbor behavior, the bill still limits the ability of neighbors to engage in the public decision-making process and limits the ability of DHEC to find the right solution for the right problem. Please ask your Representative to delay passage of this bill and give us time to find the right solution to encouraging good neighbor relations in rural South Carolina.
- Solar is moving! – The bill to further encourage solar and renewable energy market growth finally has a subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. S.44 establishes a clear and consistent path for property tax treatment of solar panel and other renewable energy installations, helping solar continue to grow in South Carolina. Please ask your Representative to support solar growth in South Carolina.
- We have slowed down the progress of the Nuisance bills, but there’s still time for something to go wrong. Please encourage your Senators to oppose the Nuisance bills.
Please visit our Legislative Action Center for opportunities to contact your legislators about these bills and others.