South Carolina H 3235: Coastal Structural Stability Study Committee

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3235 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3235

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

A joint Resolution

TO CREATE THE "COASTAL STRUCTURAL STABILITY STUDY 
COMMITTEE" TO EXAMINE CURRENT MEASURES FOR INSPECTING COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT 
ARE SIX FLOORS OR MORE IN HEIGHT CONSTRUCTED ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST AND 
ON THE CHARLESTON PENINSULA TO EVALUATE THEIR STRUCTURAL SOUNDNESS, TO REQUIRE 
THE STUDY COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING SUCH MEASURES, TO 
PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE STUDY COMMITTEE, TO REQUIRE THE STUDY 
COMMITTEE TO PREPARE A REPORT WITH FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE GENERAL 
ASSEMBLY, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF THE STUDY COMMITTEE.

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly expresses its concern about the tragic partial 
collapse of the Champlain Towers South beachfront condominium complex in 
Florida that occurred on June 24, 2021; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly recognizes that many such large structures have been 
constructed along the coast of South Carolina; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly finds that in an effort to prevent the tragic 
collapse of one of such buildings in South Carolina, efforts must be undertaken 
to evaluate our current measures for evaluating the ongoing safety of such 
buildings and make recommendations for improving such measures so that they 
will be the most reliable in the nation. Now, therefore,

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

SECTION 1. (A) There 
is created a study committee to examine current measures for inspecting 
commercial buildings that are six floors or more in height constructed along 
the South Carolina coast and on the Charleston peninsula to evaluate their 
structural soundness. The committee shall determine whether such measures are 
adequate or whether additional measures, such as period reinspections, should 
be required, the standards for such reinspections, and measures to be taken 
when buildings are determined to be structurally unsafe following a 
reinspection. Particular emphasis must be placed on ensuring regular occupants 
of such buildings are made aware of such inspections, their results, and 
related recommendations for improvements.

 (B) The study 
committee is composed of:

 (1) the 
Chairman of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, or his designee;

 (2) the 
Chairman of the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, or his designee;

 (3) four 
structural engineers experienced in evaluating the structural soundness of 
buildings six floors or more in height along the South Carolina coast or the 
Charleston peninsula, appointed by the Governor; and

 (4) two 
members of the general public who are members of homeowners associations in 
such buildings.

 (C) Members of 
the study committee shall serve without compensation, but are allowed the 
mileage, subsistence, and per diem allowed by law for members of state boards, 
committees, and commissions, to be paid equally from approved accounts of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate.

 (D) The study 
committee shall choose its officers and must be provided with clerical, 
administrative, and research services by the House of Representatives and the 
Senate.

 (E) The study 
committee shall make a report of its findings and recommendations to the 
General Assembly by January 1, 2027, at which time the study committee 
terminates.

SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect 
upon approval by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 11:00 AM