October 2, 2009
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber to Host HOA Proposed Legislation Forum
The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce will host an HOA Proposed Legislation Forum 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conference Center near The Market Common. Topics include a welcome, legislative overview by a number of attorneys and association/property management companies and a question and answer period. The forum is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.
"We invited our member association management companies to share their concerns about the proposed South Carolina Homeowners' Association Act at a recent Legislative Policy Council meeting," said Buzz Freeman, MBACC Legislative Policy Council chair. "The issues they raised, as well as feedback offered during the forum, will help us to influence policy so the law is reasonable for association management companies to follow. The bill's impact reaches beyond our members to the entire Myrtle Beach area."
The South Carolina Homeowners' Association Act (S. 30) was introduced by the state senate in the 2009 legislative session and is expected to be prefiled for the 2010 legislative session. S. 30 amends the Code of Laws of South Carolina (1976) by adding Chapter 52 to Title 27.
The bill addresses how associations are set up and governed including openness of association finances and meetings. To association management companies, the bill contains many onerous provisions that conflict with existing state laws and association governing documents and are costly to administer and logistically difficult to perform in some cases. The high number of absentee owners in the Myrtle Beach area poses additional challenges for associations to comply with the act.
Currently, condominium associations are governed by the South Carolina Horizontal Property Act (Chapter 31, Title 27) and may be governed by the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act (for nonprofit associations; Chapter 31, Title 33). Single-family associations are governed by the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act. Individual associations establish bylaws and declarations of covenants and restrictions in accordance with these state laws.
The full text of the proposed bill can be viewed online at the South Carolina General Assembly's Web site.
U.S. House of Representatives Approves 2010 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2010 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (referred to as the "Energy and Water Appropriations Act;" H.R. 3183), a significant piece of legislation impacting dozens of federal grants and agency budgets. The bill includes $1.8 million for dredging the Intracoastal Waterway in South Carolina, at the request of Congressman Henry Brown. The proposed federal budget had appropriated a minimal amount for the waterway, but the House version authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to increase the scope of work to include dredging and enhanced maintenance along the waterway.
"The Intracoastal Waterway is an important body of water that impacts our quality of life and local commerce including the tourism industry," said Brad Dean, MBACC president and CEO. This investment of federal funds complements other work planned for the waterway in South Carolina. We greatly appreciate the efforts of Congressman Brown for his relentless efforts to ensure that our taxpayer dollars are returned to the Grand Strand."
For legislative tracking on specific bills, visit the chamber's Government Relations page.
On the Net
MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com
SCStateHouse.net
House.gov
Senate.gov
USA.gov
SCChamber.net
USChamber.com
I-73.com
