South Carolina S 782: Determination of Population Density for Municipal Incorporation

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 782 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 13, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 782

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 5-1-30, RELATING TO PREREQUISITES TO THE ISSUANCE OF A CORPORATE 
CERTIFICATE TO A PROPOSED MUNICIPALITY SO AS TO ALLOW THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO 
USE ANY RELIABLE AND VERIFIABLE INFORMATION BASED ON THE LATEST OFFICIAL UNITED 
STATES CENSUS TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PROPOSED MUNICIPALITY HAS THE REQUISITE 
POPULATION DENSITY FOR INCORPORATION.

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

SECTION 1. Section 5-1-30(A)(1) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (1) the area seeking to be incorporated 
has a population density of at least three hundred persons a square mile 
according to the latest official United States Census, except as provided in 
subsections (B) through (E) 
(F);

SECTION 2. Section 5-1-30 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 (F) In determining whether the proposed 
incorporated municipality has the requisite population density, the Secretary of 
State may use any reliable and verifiable information based on the latest 
official United States Census that assures the closest possible conformance 
between the area proposed for incorporation and the data available, including:

 (a) 
full census blocks;

 (b) 
sub census blocks;

 (c) 
special census areas identified by the U.S. Census Bureau regardless of 
established census blocks or subblocks; or

 (d) 
reapportionment data used to determine redistricting decisions following the 
release of the decennial census figures.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 13, 2026 at 12:38 PM