South Carolina Legislature Passes Small-Cells Bill

A small-cells bill cleared the South Carolina legislature Thursday and goes to Gov. Henry McMaster (R). The House voted 104-1 to concur with Senate amendments and pass H-4262, preempting local governments. The Senate voted 32-6 for the amended bill Wednesday. The Municipal Association of South Carolina supports the bill, emailed Director-Advocacy Scott Slatton, citing “productive and amiable” talks with AT&T. Amendments reflected the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ August ruling on FCC orders, Slatton said. Legislators broadened the bill’s aesthetic requirements to cover more parts of a city and “removed the ‘no more burdensome’ language that prevented cities from placing more stringent regulations on small cells than other infrastructure in the right-of-way,” he said. McMaster has five days to sign or veto, or it becomes law, Slatton said. The governor didn’t comment by our deadline. Wireless Infrastructure Association CEO Jonathan Adelstein noted it's the 30th state to pass a small-cells law. The House originally passed the plan in April 2019; COVID-19 delayed senators' voting (see 2003200042).