Permit Extension Bill Enacted

A bill extending permits, including building permits, was signed by the Governor on May 19. This bill was a legislative priority of the Home Builders Association of South Carolina.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Dwight Loftis and Senator Ray Cleary in response to the downturn in the construction industry. Permits that normally would have been completed in a timely manner are not being completed on schedule.

The bill creates a “time out” on development and building permits issued by state and local government agencies. The “time out” period is January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012. Permits that were valid during that period are kept alive until December 2012.

The additional time insures that the permit doesn’t expire and that a new permit does not have to be purchased. The bill is fashioned after legislation passed and successfully implemented in North Carolina last year. While this is a temporary solution, it provides some much needed help as the construction industry recovers.

S.C. Illegal Immigration Law Applies to All Employers July 1

Beginning July 1, 2010, every employer in South Carolina must be in compliance with the "Illegal Aliens and Private Employment" chapter of the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act.

Beginning July 1 investigators from the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation will begin conducting audits and investigating complaints at businesses that employ one or more workers. In order to assist employers in understanding their responsibilties under the law, LLR has scheduled training sessions around the state.

Register for Training by Clicking Here

General Membership Meeting June 10, 2010

Panel Discussion:
Legal Liability & Workplace Safety for Remodeling Projects

• Thursday, June 10, 2010
• 8:00 a.m.
• Greenville Hilton

Featured Panelists:

• Scott Bradley, Esq., Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A.
• Jason Freeman, ChFC, J. Freeman & Associates, Inc.
• Danny Dilworth, ARM, S.C. Home Builders Self Insurance Fund

Topics to be discussed by the panelists:

• Lead Paint
• Asbestos
• Hazardous Materials
• Insuring Against Risk
• Protecting Your Employees on the Job Site

Come and learn the liability exposure on your job sites and the facts on what you are required to do to protect the safety of your workers, your clients, and your company.

• Register by clicking here.
• Download the event brochure by clicking here.

Sponsors:

• Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A.
• S.C. Home Builders Self Insurance Fund
• J. Freeman & Associates

Sprinkler Bill Awaiting Approval of the Governor

On Tuesday, May 25, the S.C. House of Representatives agreed to amendments made to the Sprinkler bill by the S.C. Senate. The bill was ratified on June 1, a procedural step where the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate sign the bill and affirm that the bill was properly passed and agreed to by both houses.

The bill is now before S.C. Governor Mark Sanford. The Governor has the option to sign the bill into law, veto the bill, or allow the bill to become law without his signature. The Governor has until this weekend to sign or veto the bill or it will become law without his signature.

HBA Board of Directors Disavows Warranty Endorsment

The HBA of Greenville Board of Directors voted recently to disavow its endorsement of a warranty document that had been endorsed more than 20 years ago.

"Many of our builder members continue to use the warranty," Michael Dey, Executive Vice President of the HBA of Greenville, said. "However, the warranty has become outdated and the Board of Directors, in consultation with the association's General Counsel, Scott Bradley of Gallivan, White, and Boyd, determined it is no longer worthy of the association's recommendation.

The Board of Directors reaffirmed its endorsement of the 2-10 Homebuyer's Warranty Program and encourages members of the HBA of Greenville to consider the 2-10 program for its warranty needs.

Greenville News Reports on Surge in Building Activity

The Greenville News, on the front page of today's newspaper, reported on the surge in building activity. Read the article: http://bit.ly/dBK7ue

Sprinkler Bill Wins Key Approval in S.C. Senate

HBA of Greenville Members

I have very good news. The S.C. Senate today gave second reading to legislation that will prohibit enforcement of automatic fire sprinklers in the International Residential Code until January 1, 2014. This was a compromise that was reached after the Senate invoked cloture on the bill. I would like to thank each of you who contacted your Senator asking that they vote for cloture. That was a key vote that put your association in position to reach a reasonable compromise.

The next step will be third reading on the bill on Tuesday. For your information, the bill number is now 4663, a bill that had already passed the House and is now the vehicle for our sprinkler bill. After the Senate gives the bill third reading on Tuesday the bill will return to the House where the HBA will ask the House to agree to the Senate amendments. Assuming they do so, the bill will then be ratified and sent to the Governor.

For your information, the HBA of South Carolina estimates that there was between 125 and 150 home builders in the lobby of the State House today, a terrific turnout. I would like to thank these members for traveling on short notice to Columbia today to work on the sprinkler issue:

• Tom Dillard and Susan Vernon of Dillard-Jones Builders
• Coleman Shouse of Lazarus-Shouse Communities
• Keith Smith and Chris Moffitt of Keith Smith Builders
• John Butcher of 2-10 Home Warranty
• Larry Hazenfield and several of his staff from ProBuild

This is a great win for your Home Builders Association and shows what can happen when we all pull together to fight to protect the home building industry. It also is a major reason for the Home Builders Association to exist—to fight for your industry.

Your dues dollars at work. Thank you for being a member of the Home Builders Association of Greenville.

Michael E. Dey, Executive Director