Constitutional amendment

2025-2026 Bill 815: Constitutional amendment - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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S. 815
STATUS INFORMATION
Joint Resolution
Sponsors: Senators Bennett and Verdin
Document Path: LC-0389DG26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 14, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Finance
Summary: Constitutional amendment
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

1/14/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 14
)

1/14/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Finance
(
Senate Journal-page 14
)

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

A joint Resolution

TO AMEND SECTIONS 1 AND 2 OF ARTICLE X, OF THE
CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, BOTH RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX, SO AS TO
PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY DETERMINE BY LAW THE CLASSIFICATIONS AND
ASSESSMENT RATIOS OF SUCH PROPERTY.

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

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

S
ection 1.
The General Assembly may provide for the ad valorem taxation by the State or
any of its subdivisions of all real and personal property. The assessment of
all property shall be equal and uniform in the
classifications
established by the General Assembly.
following
classifications:

(
1) All real and personal property owned
by or leased to manufacturers, utilities and mining operations and used by the
manufacturer, utility or mining operation, in the conduct of such business
shall be taxed on an assessment equal to ten and one-half percent of the fair
market value of such property.

(
2) All real and personal property owned
by or leased to companies primarily engaged in transportation for hire of
persons or property and used by the company in the conduct of such business
shall be taxed on an assessment equal to nine and one-half percent of the fair
market value of such property.

(
3) The legal residence and not more
than five acres contiguous thereto shall be taxed on an assessment equal to
four percent of the fair market value of such property.

(
4) Agricultural real property which is
actually used for such purposes shall be taxed on an assessment equal to:

(
A) four percent of its value for such
purposes when owned or leased to individuals or partnerships and certain
corporations which do not:

(
i) have more than ten shareholders;

(
ii) have as a shareholder a person
(other than an estate) who is not an individual;

(
iii) have a nonresident alien as a
shareholder; and

(
iv) have more than one class of stock.

(
B) six percent of its value for such
purposes when owned or leased to corporations, except for certain corporations
specified in (A) above. Provided, that the General Assembly shall by general
law provide for a penalty system on lands classified as agricultural lands to
insure the proper utilization of this classification.

(
5) All other real property not herein
provided for shall be taxed on an assessment equal to six percent of the fair
market value of such property.

(
6) All inventories of business
establishments shall be taxed on an assessment equal to six percent of the fair
market value of such property.

(
7) All farm machinery and equipment
except motor vehicles licensed for use on the highways owned by farmers and
used on agricultural lands shall be taxed on an assessment equal to five
percent of the fair market value.

(
8)(A) Except as provided in subitem (B)
of this item, all other personal property must be taxed on an assessment equal
to ten and one-half percent of the fair market value of the property.

(
B)
(
1)
Personal motor vehicles which must be titled by a state or federal agency,
limited to passenger motor vehicles and pickup trucks, as defined by law, must
be taxed on an assessment equal to the following percentage of fair market
value of the property:

19

Property Tax Year

Percentage

20

year 1

9.75

21

year 2

9.00

22

year 3

8.25

23

year 4

7.50

24

year 5

6.75

25

year 6 and after

6.00

(
2) This subitem applies for property
tax years beginning after 2001 or for earlier tax years as the General Assembly
may provide by law.

S
ECTION 2.
I
t is proposed that Section 2, Article X of the
Constitution of this State be amended to read:

S
ection 2.
(
a) The General Assembly may define the
classes of property and values for property tax purposes
of
the classes of property set forth in Section 1 of this article
and
establish administrative procedures for property owners to qualify for a
particular classification.

(
b) The General Assembly may provide for
a gradual transition to any ratio as set out in Section 1

over a period not to exceed
seven years.

(c)
(
b)
Statutes pertaining to the methods of assessment of
property for ad valorem taxation not in conflict with this article shall
continue in force until changed by an act of the General Assembly.

(
d) The General Assembly may change the
ratios as set forth in Section 1, but only with the approval of at least
two-thirds of the membership of each house.

S
ECTION 3. 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 Sections 1 and 2, Article X of the Constitution
of this State, both relating to property tax,

be amended so as to
provide that the General Assembly may determine by law the classifications and
assessment ratios of such property?

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 1:52 PM