South Carolina H 4747: County boundaries

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4747 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 17, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4747

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 
4-9-43 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE COUNTIES THAT OPERATE A COUNTYWIDE WATER AND SEWER 
SYSTEM ON JULY 1, 2026, TO ACQUIRE MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEMS LOCATED WITHIN THE 
COUNTY, TO ESTABLISH A RELATED ACQUISITION PROCESS INCLUDING PETITION, PUBLIC 
NOTICE, HEARING, AND ORDINANCE ENACTMENT REQUIREMENTS.

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

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 9, Title 4 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
4-9-43. (A) Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, any county in this State that operates a countywide water and 
sewer system on July 1, 2026, may acquire the water and sewer system owned or 
operated by any municipalities located within that county, including the 
system's assets, infrastructure, liabilities, and outstanding obligations, 
pursuant to the requirements of this section.

 (B)(1) To initiate such an acquisition, a 
petition must be presented to the governing body of the county requesting the 
acquisition of a specified municipal water system. The petition must be signed 
by at least forty percent of the qualified electors residing within the service 
area of the municipal water and sewer system proposed to be acquired.

 (2) 
The petition must:

 (a) 
contain the printed name and address of each signer;

 (b) include the 
original signature of each qualified elector;

 (c) 
contain, printed at the top of each page of the petition, the following:

 (i) 
the name of the municipal water system proposed to be dissolved and acquired by 
the county; and

 (ii) 
a statement that the petition may not become effective unless signed by at 
least forty percent of the qualified electors residing within the service area 
of the municipal water system.

 (C) 
Within fifteen days of the receipt of the petition, the county election 
commission shall:

 (1) ascertain the 
number of qualified electors residing within the service area of the municipal 
water system using the most current official voter registration list; and

 (2) 
determine whether each signer of the petition is a qualified elector and 
resides within the service area.

 (D) 
Within thirty days after the petition is certified as meeting the requirements 
of subsection (B), the county governing body must hold at least one public 
meeting on the proposed acquisition. Notice of the meeting must comply with the 
provisions of Section 30-4-80 and also must:

 (1) 
be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least 
fifteen days prior to the meeting;

 (2) 
state the date, time, location, and purpose of the meeting; and

 (3) 
include a summary of the terms of the proposed acquisition and any known 
financial obligations that would be assumed by the county.

 (E) No 
later than thirty days after the public meeting required by subsection (D), the 
county governing body may enact an ordinance authorizing the acquisition of the 
municipal water system, unless it finds by resolution that:

 (1) 
the acquisition would create an undue financial burden on the county's water 
and sewer system;

 (2) 
the terms of acquisition would violate state or federal law; and

 (3) 
the petition was not validly certified.

 (F) Upon 
enactment of the ordinance, the county shall acquire ownership and operational 
control of the municipal water system. The county shall also assume the 
obligations of the municipal system, including debt service, contracts, and 
ongoing operations, subject to applicable legal and financial due diligence.

 (G) This 
section may not be interpreted to impair existing bond covenants or contractual 
obligations of the municipal water system without the consent of affected 
parties, as required by law.

 (H) The 
provisions of this section are cumulative and shall not be construed to limit 
other powers of counties under general or special law.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect on July 1, 
2026.

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This web page was last updated on December 17, 2025 at 01:46 PM