Constitutional Amendment

2025-2026 Bill 4926: Constitutional Amendment - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4926
STATUS INFORMATION
Joint Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Pace, Magnuson, Edgerton, White, Kilmartin, Gilreath, Cromer, Frank, Beach, D. Mitchell and Willis
Document Path: LC-0467SA26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 14, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Summary: Constitutional Amendment
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

1/14/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 91
)

1/14/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 91
)

1/29/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor:
Magnuson, Edgerton, White, Kilmartin,
Gilreath, Cromer, Frank, Beach, D. Mitchell,
Willis

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/14/2026

A joint Resolution

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 3,
ARTICLE X OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, RELATING TO PROPERTY EXEMPT
FROM AD VALOREM TAXATION, SO AS TO EXEMPT BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY.

B
e it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
I
t is proposed that Section 3,
Article X of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

S
ection
3. There shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation:

(
a) all property of the State, counties,
municipalities, school districts and other political subdivisions, if the
property is used exclusively for public purposes;

(
b) all property of all schools,
colleges and other institutions of learning and all charitable institutions in
the nature of hospitals and institutions caring for the infirmed, the
handicapped, the aged, children and indigent persons, except where the profits
of such institutions are applied to private use;

(
c) all property of all public
libraries, churches, parsonages and burying grounds;

(
d) all property of all charitable
trusts and foundations used exclusively for charitable and public purposes;

(
e) all household goods and furniture
used in the home of the owner of such goods and furniture, but this exemption
shall not apply to household goods used in hotels, rooming houses, apartments
or other places of business;

(
f) all inventories of manufactures,
except manufactured articles which have been offered for sale at retail or
which have been available for sale at retail;

(
g) all new manufacturing establishments
located in any of the counties of this State after July 1, 1977, for five years
from the time of establishment and all additions to the existing manufacturing
establishments located in any of the counties of this State for five years from
the time each of these additions is made if the cost of the addition is fifty
thousand dollars or more. The additions shall include additional machinery and
equipment installed in the plant. The exemptions authorized in this item for
manufacturing establishments, and additions to those manufacturing
establishments, do not include exemptions from school taxes or municipal taxes
but include only county taxes. All manufacturing establishments and all
additions to existing manufacturing establishments exempt under existing
statutes are allowed their exemptions provided for by statute until the
exemptions expire. Municipal governing bodies may by ordinance exempt from
municipal ad valorem taxation for not more than five years all new manufacturing
establishments located in any of the municipalities of this State after July 1,
1985, and all additions to the existing manufacturing establishments, including
additional machinery and equipment, located in any of the municipalities of
this State costing fifty thousand dollars or more made after July 1, 1985.
Exemptions from municipal taxation granted pursuant to this item may not result
in any refund of taxes;

T
he
governing body of a municipality may by ordinance exempt from municipal ad
valorem taxation for not more than five years:

(
1) all new corporate headquarters,
corporate office facilities, distribution facilities located in the
municipality, and additions to such facilities; and

(
2) all facilities of new enterprises
engaged in research and development activities located in the municipality, and
additions to such facilities.

T
he
exemptions allowed pursuant to this paragraph are subject to those terms and
conditions that the General Assembly may provide by law.

(
h) all facilities or equipment of
industrial plants which are designed for the elimination, mitigation,
prevention, treatment, abatement or control of water, air or noise pollution;

(
i) a homestead exemption for persons
sixty-five years of age and older, for persons permanently and totally disabled
and for blind persons in the amount of ten thousand dollars of the fair market
value of the homestead under conditions prescribed by the General Assembly by
general law; provided, that the amount may be increased by the General Assembly
by general law, passed by a majority vote of both houses;

(
j) intangible personal property
.
;

(
k) business personal property.

T
he
exemptions provided in subitems (c) and (d) for real property shall not extend
beyond the buildings and premises actually occupied by the owners of such real
property. Homestead exemptions from ad valorem taxation not specifically
provided for in this section may be provided for by the General Assembly by
general law. In addition to the exemptions listed in this section, the General
Assembly may provide for exemptions from the property tax, by general laws
applicable uniformly to property throughout the State and in all political
subdivisions, but only with the approval of two-thirds of the members of each
House. All exemptions not specifically provided for or authorized in this
article shall be repealed March 1, 1978. The General Assembly shall provide for
methods and procedures in applying for the exemption of any property as is
described in this section.

I
n
addition to the exemptions provided and authorized in this section, subject to
statutory authorization, the governing body of a county by ordinance may impose
a sales and use tax in order to exempt all or a portion of the value of private
passenger motor vehicles, motorcycles, general aviation aircraft, boats, and
boat motors from property taxes levied in the county. This exemption, or its
subsequent rescission, is allowed only pursuant to a referendum held in the
county in the manner that the General Assembly provides by law.

S
ECTION
2.
The proposed amendment must be submitted to the
qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots
must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words
printed or written on the ballot:

"
Must
Section 3, Article X of the Constitution of this State, relating to property
tax exemptions,

be amended so as to provide an exemption for business
personal property taxes?

Y
es
o

N
o
o

T
hose voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a
check or cross mark in the square after the word 'Yes', and those voting
against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the
square after the word 'No'."

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This web page was last updated on January 14, 2026 at 3:41 PM