Debate on short-term rental bill paused as state lawmakers seek clarity

FILE – Police officers are the only people seen at the South Carolina Statehouse on Jan. 20, 2021, in Columbia, S.C. The Republican-dominated South Carolina House is expected to debate a bill restricting medical care for transgender minors on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins, File)

(WCIV) — The argument of short-term rentals was back on the table at the state house in Columbia Tuesday afternoon.

There was public testimony and discussion about House Bill 3861, which aims to regulate local municipalities when it comes to short term rentals.

The bill reads “to prohibit a governing body of a municipality, county, or other political subdivision of the state from enacting or enforcing an ordinance, resolution, or regulation that prohibits the rental of a residential dwelling to a short-term guest, to provide penalties, and to define terms.”

By the end of discussion on the bill, the subcommittee voted to postpone the debate with six committee members voting in favor of adjourning.

Representative Joe Bustos who serves as the chairman of the subcommittee and represents Charleston County (R) said some people don’t like the idea of short-term rentals in their neighborhoods because of things like increased traffic, arguing it draws visitors to the area who crowd their roadways.

He also mentioned local municipalities and counties feel they should have the ability to manage them.

“It’s come up three times and it has not moved forward,” said Bustos. “It’s been refiled three times, and each time there seem to be more questions than answers. So, you know, we don’t want to force this on anyone. So we have to get the questions answered. We have to respect the fact that in this state we have home rule and we understand there are also property rights involved.”

Bustos also mentioned that there is some lingering questions surrounding taxes, how the short term rentals affects taxes, and how it impacts municipalities and counties.

“No one wants to ban them, but, all the counties and the municipalities feel that they should have the ability to manage them,” he said.

Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie, who has previously been vocal on this topic, and in opposition to the bill, made his way to the statehouse yesterday for the subcommittee meeting.

During the meeting, he asked the state to not take away municipalities’ rights when it comes to how they handle short term rentals.

“I’m just asking y’all as a state to not take this away from us. That’s why local government exists in the first place,” he said.

He explained the parks, playgrounds, roads and sanitation in towns are all designed to fit their residents and the needs of their specific community.

“Those of you from other parts of the state will never have to answer to the voters of Mount Pleasant. We have to answer to all 97,000 of them. And so far, the association, the short-term rental association of Mount Pleasant called, they support our regulations. They helped us do them and to keep them fair and reasonable,” said Haynie.

With the debate now on pause, authors of the bill can go back and find answers to some of the questions that have been posed.

Bustos mentioned with the end of the legislative session coming up, the bill may have to be refiled in January.