South Carolina S 1150: Petroleum and natural gas

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 1150 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 28, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 1150

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS 
BY AMENDING SECTION 16-17-680, RELATING TO SECONDARY METALS RECYCLERS PERMITS 
TO PURCHASE NONFERROUS METALS, AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO REVISE 
THE STATUTE TO INCLUDE A REQUIREMENT FOR AFFIRMATIVE DETERMINATIONS OF WHETHER 
A SECONDARY METALS RECYCLER HAS A PREVIOUS CONVICTION, TO PROVIDE FURTHER 
POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS WHEN A SECONDARY METALS RECYCLER HAS CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE OF 
STOLEN NONFERROUS METALS, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR THE ADDED OFFENSES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.A. Section 
16-17-680(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (B)(1) A secondary metals 
recycler shall obtain a permit to purchase nonferrous metals. A secondary 
metals recycler's employee is not required to obtain a separate permit to 
purchase nonferrous metals provided that the employee is acting within the 
scope and duties of their employment with the secondary metals recycler. A 
secondary metals recycler's employee who intends to purchase nonferrous metals 
on behalf of the secondary metals recycler at a location other than a fixed 
site shall have a copy of the secondary metals recycler's permit readily 
available for inspection.

 (2) If a secondary metals recycler 
intends to purchase nonferrous metals at a fixed site or fixed sites, the 
secondary metals recycler shall obtain a permit from the sheriff of the county 
in which each of the secondary metals recycler's fixed sites are located. The 
sheriff may issue the permit to the secondary metals recycler, if the secondary 
metals recycler:

 (a) has a fixed site or fixed sites 
located in the sheriff's county;

 (b) has not been convicted of a 
violation of Section 16-11-523 or this section; and

 (c) declares on an application 
provided by the sheriff that the secondary metals recycler is informed of and 
will comply with the provisions of this section.

 (3) If a secondary metals recycler 
intends to purchase nonferrous metals at a location other than a fixed site, 
the secondary metals recycler shall obtain a permit from the sheriff of each 
county in which the secondary metals recycler intends to purchase nonferrous 
metals. The sheriff may issue the permit to the secondary metals recycler if 
the secondary metals recycler:

 (a) can sufficiently demonstrate to 
the sheriff the secondary metals recycler's ability to comply with the 
provisions of this section;

 (b) has not been convicted of a 
violation of Section 16-11-523 or this section; and

 (c) declares on an application 
provided by the sheriff that the secondary metals recycler is informed of and 
will comply with the provisions of this section.

 (4) The South Carolina Law Enforcement 
Division shall develop the application and permit in consultation with the 
state's sheriffs and representatives from the secondary metals recyclers' 
industry.

 (5) A sheriff may 
must investigate a secondary metals recycler's 
background prior to issuing a permit for purposes of determining if the 
secondary metals recycler qualifies to be issued a permit. 
The sheriff must affirmatively determine whether the secondary metals recycler 
has been convicted of a violation of Section 16-11-523 or this section, and if 
such a conviction exists, the sheriff must deny the permit pursuant to item 
(9).

 (6) A sheriff may charge and retain a 
two hundred dollar fee for each permit.

 (7) A sheriff shall keep a record of 
all permits issued containing, at a minimum, the date of issuance, and the name 
and address of the secondary metals recycler.

 (8) A permit is valid for twenty-four 
months.

 (9) A permit may be denied, suspended, 
or revoked at any time if a sheriff discovers that the information on an 
application is inaccurate, a secondary metals recycler does not comply with the 
requirements of this section, or a secondary metals recycler is convicted of a 
violation of Section 16-11-523 or this section.

 (10) A sheriff shall issue permits 
during regular business hours.

B. Section 
16-17-680(D) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 (D)(1) It is unlawful to 
purchase nonferrous metals in any amount for the purpose of recycling the 
nonferrous metals from a seller unless the purchaser is a secondary metals 
recycler who has a valid permit to purchase nonferrous metals issued pursuant 
to subsection (B) and the seller has a valid permit to transport and sell 
nonferrous metals issued pursuant to subsection (C). A secondary metals 
recycler may hold a seller's nonferrous metals while the seller obtains a 
permit to transport and sell nonferrous metals pursuant to subsection (C).

 (2) A secondary m