Removal of People from Vehicle Park

2025-2026 Bill 718: Removal of People from Vehicle Park - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
S. 718
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Garrett
Document Path: SR-0405KM26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2026
Introduced in the House on February 19, 2026
Last Amended on May 7, 2026

Continued by the House on May 14, 2026
Summary: Removal of People from Vehicle Park
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

12/10/2025

Senate

Prefiled

12/10/2025

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Family and Veterans' Services

1/13/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 30
)

1/13/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Family and Veterans' Services
(
Senate Journal-page 30
)

1/29/2026

Senate

Committee report: Favorable with amendment
Fish, Game and Forestry
(
Senate Journal-page 7
)

2/10/2026

Senate

Committee Amendment Adopted (
Senate Journal-page 30
)

2/10/2026

Senate

Amended (
Senate Journal-page 30
)

2/17/2026

Senate

Adopted, returned to House with concurrence

2/17/2026

Senate

Amended (
Senate Journal-page 8
)

2/17/2026

Senate

Read second time (
Senate Journal-page 8
)

2/17/2026

Senate

Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (
Senate Journal-page 8
)

2/18/2026

Senate

Read third time and sent to House (
Senate Journal-page 14
)

2/19/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 16
)

2/19/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Labor, Commerce and Industry
(
House Journal-page 16
)

4/22/2026

House

Committee report: Favorable with amendment
Education and Public Works
(
House Journal-page 4
)

4/28/2026

House

Debate adjourned (
House Journal-page 20
)

4/29/2026

House

Amended (
House Journal-page 191
)

4/29/2026

House

Read second time (
House Journal-page 191
)

4/29/2026

House

Roll call Yeas-108 Nays-0 (
House Journal-page 200
)

4/30/2026

House

Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments (
House Journal-page 17
)

5/7/2026

Senate

House amendment amended (
Senate Journal-page 74
)

5/7/2026

Senate

Returned to House with amendments (
Senate Journal-page 74
)

5/8/2026

Scrivener's error corrected

5/13/2026

House

Debate adjourned until Thurs., 5-14-26

5/14/2026

House

Continued (
House Journal-page 19
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/10/2025
01/29/2026
02/10/2026
02/17/2026
04/22/2026
04/29/2026
05/07/2026
05/08/2026

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

House Amendments Amended Returned To House

May 7, 2026

S. 718

Introduced
by Senator Garrett

S. Printed 5/7/26--S. [SEC
5/8/2026 3:43 PM]

Read the first time January 13, 2026

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
45-2-65
SO AS TO PROVIDE THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH AN OPERATOR OF ANY
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE PARK MAY HAVE ANY TRANSIENT GUEST OF THE PARK REMOVED, AND
TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR REMOVAL OF THE GUEST.

Amend Title To Conform

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

S
ECTION 1.
C
hapter 2, Title 45 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

S
ection
45-2-65
.
(
A)
(
1) The operator of any recreational
vehicle park may remove or cause to be removed from such park, in the manner
provided in this section, any transient guest of the park who, while on the
premises of the park:

(
a)
illegally possesses or deals in a controlled substance as defined and covered
by Chapter 53, Title 44;

(
b)
disturbs the peace, quiet enjoyment, or comfort of other persons;

(
c)
causes harm to the physical park;

(
d)
violates the posted park rules and regulations; or

(
e)
fails to make payment of rent at the rental rate agreed upon and by the time
agreed upon.

(
2) The
admission of a person to, or the removal of a person from, any recreational
vehicle park may not be based upon race, color, national origin, sex, physical
disability, or creed.

(
B) The
operator of any recreational vehicle park shall notify such guest that the park
no longer desires to entertain the guest and shall request that the guest
immediately depart from the park. Notice must be given in writing, as follows:
"You are hereby notified that this recreational vehicle park no longer desires
to entertain you as its guest, and you are requested to leave at once. To
remain after receipt of this notice is a misdemeanor under the laws of this
State." If such guest has paid in advance, the park, at the time notice is
given, shall tender to the guest the unused portion of the advance payment. Any
guest who remains or attempts to remain in such park after being requested to
leave commits a misdemeanor and must be punished by a fine not exceeding three
hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days.

(
C) If
a guest has accumulated an outstanding account in excess of an amount
equivalent to three nights' rent at a recreational vehicle park, the operator
may disconnect all utilities of the recreational vehicle and notify the guest
that the action is for the purpose of requiring the guest to confront the
operator or permittee and arrange for the payment of the guest's account. Such
arrangement must be in writing, and a copy must be furnished to the guest. Upon
entering into the agreement, the operator shall reconnect the utilities of the
recreational vehicle.

(
D) If
any person is illegally on the premises of any recreational vehicle park, the
operator of the park may call upon any law enforcement officer of this State
for assistance. It is the duty of law enforcement officers, upon the request of
an operator, to remove from the premises or place under arrest any guest who,
according to the park operator, violated subsection (A) or (B). If a warrant
has been issued by the proper judicial officer for the arrest of any guest who
violates subsection (A) or (B), the officer shall serve the warrant, arrest the
guest, and take the guest into custody. Upon removal or arrest, with or without
warrant, the guest is considered to have abandoned or given up any right to
occupancy of the premises of the recreational vehicle park, and the operator of
the park shall employ all reasonable and proper means to care for any personal
property left on the premises by the guest and shall refund any unused portion
of monies paid by the guest for the occupancy of such premises. If conditions
do not allow for immediate removal of the guest's property, he may arrange a
reasonable time, not to exceed forty-eight hours, with the operator to come
remove the property, accompanied by a law enforcement officer.

(
E) In
addition to the grounds for ejection established by law, grounds for ejection
may be established in a written lease agreement between a recreational vehicle
park operator or permittee and a recreational vehicle park guest.

S
ECTION 2.
C
hapter 37, Title 27 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

S
ection
27-37-170
.
(
A) A property owner or
his authorized representative may request from the sheriff of the county in
which the property is located the immediate removal of a person unlawfully
occupying a residential dwelling pursuant to this section if the following
conditions are met:

(
1)
the requesting person is the property owner or authorized agent of the property
owner;

(
2)
the real property that is being occupied includes a residential dwelling;

(
3)
an unauthorized person has unlawfully entered, remains, or continues to reside
on the owner's property;

(
4)
the real property was not open to members of the public at the time the
unauthorized person entered;

(
5)
the property owner has directed the unauthorized person to leave the property;

(
6)
the unauthorized person is not a current or former tenant pursuant to a written
or oral agreement authorized by the property owner;

(
7)
the unauthorized person is not an immediate family member of the property
owner; and

(
8)
there is no pending litigation related to the real property between the
property owner and the person unlawfully occupying the property.

(
B) To
request the immediate removal of an unlawful occupant of a residential
dwelling, the property

owner or his authorized
representative must submit a complaint to remove a person unlawfully occupying
residential real property to the sheriff of the county in which the real
property is located. In the submitted complaint, the owner or authorized agent
of the owner of the real property must state the legal description of the
property and declare under the penalty of perjury that:

(
1)
he is the owner of the real property or the authorized representative of the
owner of the real property;

(
2)
he purchased the property and provides the date of purchase;

(
3)
the real property is a residential dwelling;

(
4)
an unauthorized person has unlawfully entered and is remaining or residing
unlawfully on the real property;

(
5)
the real property was not open to members of the public at the time the
unauthorized person entered;

(
6)
he has directed the unauthorized person to leave the real property, but the
person has not done so;

(
7)
the person is not a current or former tenant pursuant to any valid lease
authorized by the property owner, and any lease that may be produced by an
occupant is fraudulent;

(
8)
the unauthorized person sought to be removed is not an owner or a co-owner of
the property and has not been listed on the title to the property unless the
person has engaged in title fraud;

(
9)
the unauthorized person is not an immediate family member of the property
owner;

(
10)
there is no pending litigation related to the real property between the
property owner and the person sought to be removed;

(
11)
the owner of the property understands that a person removed from the property
pursuant to this procedure may bring a cause of action against the owner of the
property for any false statements made in the complaint, or for wrongfully
using the procedure, and that as a result of such action the owner of the
property may be held liable for actual damages, penalties, costs, and
reasonable attorney's fees;

(
12)
the owner of the property is requesting the sheriff to immediately remove the
unauthorized person from the residential property;

(
13)
the owner of the property must attach a copy of a valid government-issued
identification, or if a representative of the property owner, attach documents
evidencing the representative's authority to act on the property owner's
behalf; and

(
14)
the form must be signed by the owner of the property or the representative of
the owner of the property, and it must include the following language: "I
HAVE READ EVERY STATEMENT MADE IN THIS PETITION AND EACH STATEMENT IS TRUE AND
CORRECT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS PETITION ARE BEING MADE
UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY, PUNISHABLE AS PROVIDED IN SECTION
16-9-10
OF THE

SOUTH CAROLINA CODE."

(
C)
Upon receipt of the complaint, the sheriff shall verify that the person
submitting the complaint is the record owner of the real property or the
authorized representative of the owner and appears otherwise entitled to relief
under this section. If the complaint is verified, then the sheriff must,
without delay, serve a notice to immediately vacate on all unlawful occupants
and shall put the owner in possession of the real property. Service may be
accomplished by hand delivery of the notice to an occupant or by posting the
notice on the front door or entrance of the dwelling. The sheriff shall also
attempt to verify the identities of all persons occupying the dwelling and note
the identities on the return of service. If appropriate, the sheriff may arrest
any person found in the dwelling for trespassing, outstanding warrants, or any
other legal cause.

(
D)
The sheriff is entitled to a fee for service of the notice to immediately
vacate as provided in Section
23-19-10
. After the sheriff serves the notice to
immediately vacate, the property owner or authorized representative may request
that the sheriff stand by to keep the peace while the property owner or agent
of the owner changes the locks and removes the personal property of the
unlawful occupants from the premises to or near the property line. When such a
request is made, the sheriff may charge a reasonable hourly rate, and the
person requesting the sheriff to stand by and keep the peace is responsible for
paying the reasonable hourly rate set by the sheriff. The sheriff is not liable
to the unlawful occupant or any other party for loss, destruction, or damage of
property. The property owner or his authorized representative is not liable to
an unlawful occupant or any other party for the loss, destruction, or damage to
the personal property unless the removal was wrongful.

(
E) A
person may bring a civil cause of action for wrongful removal against the
person who requested the person's removal pursuant to this section. A person
harmed by a wrongful removal pursuant to this section may be restored to
possession of the real property and may recover actual costs and damages
incurred, statutory damages equal to triple the fair market rent of the
dwelling, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees. The court shall advance
the cause on the calendar.

(
F)
This section does not limit the rights of a property owner or limit the
authority of a law enforcement officer to arrest an unlawful occupant for
trespassing, vandalism, theft, or other crimes.

S
ECTION 3.
C
hapter 11, Title 16 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

S
ection
16-11-790
.
(
A) A person who
unlawfully detains, occupies, or trespasses upon a residential dwelling and who
intentionally damages the dwelling causing one thousand dollars or more in
damages is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the
discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(
B) A
person who lists or advertises residential real property for sale knowing that
the purported seller has no legal title or authority to sell the property, or
rents or leases the property to another person

knowing that he has no
lawful ownership in the property or leasehold interest in the property, is
guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one
thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

(
C) A
person who, with the intent to detain or remain upon real property, knowingly
and willfully presents to another person a false document purporting to be a
valid lease agreement, deed, or other instrument conveying real property rights
is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined in the
discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

S
ECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on May 8, 2026 at 3:44 PM