South Carolina H 4518: Residential home builders

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4518 Text of Previous Version (May. 06, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4518

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 ADDING SECTION 
40-59-225 SO AS TO REQUIRE SURETY BONDS FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS, RESIDENTIAL 
TRADE CONTRACTORS, AND RESIDENTIAL TRADE REGISTRANTs, AND TO PROVIDE FOR ACTIONS 
AGAINST SUCH BONDS LIABILITY LIMITATIONS, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY AMENDING 
SECTION 40-59-10, RELATING TO the SOUTH CAROLINA RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS 
COMMISSION, SO AS TO MODIFY COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION; BY AMENDING SECTION 
40-59-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING THE SOUTH CAROLINA RESIDENTIAL 
BUILDERS COMMISSION, SO AS TO REVISE DEFINITIONS OF VARIOUS LICENSEES OF THE 
COMMISSION, TO RENAME "RESIDENTIAL SPECIALTY CONTRACTORS" AS "RESIDENTIAL TRADE 
CONTRACTORS," TO CREATE THE "RESIDENTIAL TRADE REGISTRANT" CATEGORY OF 
LICeNSEES, AND TO PROVIDE OTHER NECESSARY DEFINITIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 
40-59-25, RELATING TO ROOFING CONTRACT CANCELLATION FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE 
DENIAL, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-30, 
RELATING TO LICENSE REQUIREMENTs FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING AND RESIDENTIAL 
SPECIALTY CONTRACTING, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 
40-59-50, RELATING TO MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE COMMISSION, SO AS 
TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT ROSTERS OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS AND RESIDENTIAL 
TRADE CONTACTORS BE PREPARED AND DISTRIBUTED TO COUNTY CLERKS OF COURT 
ANNUALLY; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-105, RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE CITATIONS 
AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO IMPOSE A MONETARY PENALTY ON CERTAIN 
VIOLATIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-110, RELATING TO REVOCATIONS, 
SUSPENSIONS, OR RESTRICTIONS OF LICENSES FOR FINDINGS OF MISCONDUCT AND 
NONCOMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING 
changes; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-140, RELATING TO DENIALS OF LICENSURE AND 
REGISTRATION BASED ON A PRIOR CRIMINAL RECORD, SO AS MAKE SUCH DENIALS 
DISCRETIONARY, TO PROVIDE NEW APPLICANTS MUST SUPPLY CERTAIN CRIMINAL 
BACKGROUND REPORTS FOR THEIR STATES OF RESIDENCE FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND TO 
PROVIDE APPLICANTS SHALL BEAR THE COSTS OF SUCH BACKGROUND REPORTS; BY AMENDING 
SECTION 40-59-220, RELATING TO LICENSURE AND REGISTRATION FEES, SO AS TO MAKE 
CONFORMING CHANGES, TO MAKE FEES DUE BIENnIALLY INSTEAD OF ANNUALLY, AND TO MAKE 
REGISTRATION ISSUANCE MANDATORY IF THE APPLICANT ESTABLISHES QUALIFICATIONS 
THROUGH EXAMINATION; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-230, RELATING TO LICENSURE 
RENEWAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION, SO AS TO MAKE RENEWALS BIENnIAL INSTEAD OF 
ANNUAL, TO MAKE CERTAIN INACTIVE LICENSE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS DISCRETIONARY FOR 
THE BOARD, AND TO CREATE A TIERED SYSTEM OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS' LICENSES; BY 
AMENDING SECTION 40-59-240, RELATING TO RESIDENTIAL SPECIALTY CONTRACTORS, SO 
AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES AND REMOVE EXEMPTIONS FROM LOCAL REQUIREMENTS AND 
CERTAIN SURETY BOND REQUIREMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-250, RELATING TO 
THE CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN FACTORS INDICATING FINANCIAL STATUS, SO AS TO MAKE 
CONFORMING CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-260, RELATING TO EXCEPTIONS FOR 
PROJECTS BY PROPERTY OWNERs FOR PERSONAL USE, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES 
AND REVISE THE MANDATORY DISCLOSURE STATEMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-300, 
RELATING TO THE AUTHORITY TO CONSTRUCT LOW-INCOME HOUSING USING VOLUNTEER LABOR 
BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITHOUT PRESENCE OF A QUALIFIER, SO AS TO MAKE 
CONFORMING CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-400, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS 
CONCERNING RESIDENTIAL BUSINESS CERTIFICATES OF AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED TO 
ENGAGE IN RESIDENTIAL HOME BUILDING, RESIDENTIAL SPECIALTY CONTRACTING, AND 
HOME INSPECTING, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-410, 
RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT RESIDENTIAL BUILDING, RESIDENTIAL SPECIALTY 
CONTRACTING, AND HOME INSPECTING MUST BE PRACTICED AND OFFERED THROUGH ENTITIES 
HOLDING RESIDENTIAL BUSINESS CERTIFICATEs OF AUTHORIZATION, SO AS TO MAKE 
CONFORMING changes; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-530, RELATING TO PERSONS EXEMPT 
FROM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LICENSING OF HOME INSPECTORS, SO AS TO PROVIDE SUCH 
EXEMPT PERSONS SHALL REGISTER WITH THE COMMISSION AND PAY RELATED FEEs, AND TO 
SUBJECT SUCH REGISTERED EXEMPT PERSONS TO DISCIPLINE FOR VIOLATIONS OF CERTAIN 
PROVISIONS RELATED TO LICENSED HOME INSPECTORS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-580, 
RELATING TO REDRESS AVAILABLE TO THE COMMISSION FOR VIOLATIONS BY LICENSEES, SO 
AS TO MAKE CONFOrMING CHANGES AND OTHER REMEDIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 
40-59-600, RELATING TO PENALTIES FOR LICENSURE VIOLATIONS BY HOME INSPECTORS, 
SO AS TO REVISE THE PENALTIES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 40-59-820, RELATING TO 
DEFINITIONS IN THE SOUTH CAROLI