(A) No municipality may enforce an ordinance or practice which is inconsistent or in conflict with the provisions of this article, except that:
(1) As of the time of the effective date of this article, any municipality which had entered into a franchise agreement or other contractual agreement with a telecommunications provider prior to December 31, 1997, may continue to collect fees under the franchise agreement or other contractual agreement through December 31, 2003, regardless of whether the franchise agreement or contractual agreement expires prior to December 31, 2003.
(2) Nothing in this article shall be interpreted to interfere with continuing obligations of any franchise or other contractual agreement in the event that the franchise agreement or other contractual agreement should expire after December 31, 2003.
(3) In the event that a municipality collects these fees under a franchise agreement or other contractual agreement herein, the fees shall be in lieu of fees or taxes that might otherwise be authorized by this article.
(4) Any municipality that, as of the effective date of this article, has in effect a business license tax ordinance, adopted prior to December 31, 1997, under which the municipality has been imposing and a telecommunications company has been paying a business license tax higher than that permitted under this article but less than five percent may continue to collect the tax under the ordinance through December 31, 2003, instead of the business license tax permitted under this article.
(5) Any municipality which, by ordinance adopted prior to December 31, 1997, has imposed a business license tax and/or franchise fee on telecommunications companies of five percent or higher of gross income derived from the sale of telecommunications services in the municipality, to which tax and/or fee a telecommunications company has objected, failed to accept, filed suit to oppose, failed to pay any license taxes or franchise fees required thereunder, or paid license taxes or franchise fees under protest, may enforce the ordinance and the ordinance shall continue in full force and effect until December 31, 2003, unless a court of competent jurisdiction declares the ordinance unlawful or invalid. In this event, the municipality is authorized until December 31, 2003, to collect business license taxes and/or franchise fees thereunder, not exceeding three percent of gross income derived from the sale of telecommunications services for the preceding calendar or fiscal year which either originate or terminate in the municipality instead of the business license tax permitted under this article; however, this proviso applies to any business license ordinance and/or telecommunications franchise ordinance notwithstanding that same is amended or has been amended subsequent to December 31, 1997.
(B) The exception to this article described in subsection (A)(5) no longer applies after December 31, 2003.
HISTORY: 1999 Act No. 112, Section 1, eff June 30, 1999.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 58 - Public Utilities, Services and Carriers
Chapter 9 - Telephone, Telegraph And Express Companies
Section 58-9-30. Municipal rights, powers and privileges under Constitution not impaired.
Section 58-9-40. Municipal police regulations and ordinances not affected.
Section 58-9-50. Articles 1 through 13 of this chapter not applicable to interstate commerce.
Section 58-9-200. Definitions.
Section 58-9-210. Rates shall be just and reasonable.
Section 58-9-230. Adherence to schedules.
Section 58-9-240. Permitted free or reduced rates.
Section 58-9-260. Facilities and equipment shall be maintained in adequate manner.
Section 58-9-270. Extensions of existing facilities.
Section 58-9-285. Regulation of bundled offerings.
Section 58-9-290. Interchange of service.
Section 58-9-297. Relief from obligation to provide communications services.
Section 58-9-300. Abandonment of service.
Section 58-9-310. Sale or other disposition of property, powers, franchises or privileges.
Section 58-9-320. Transactions with affiliates.
Section 58-9-330. Participation in profits from efficiency.
Section 58-9-340. System of accounts.
Section 58-9-350. Depreciation and retirement charges.
Section 58-9-360. Restrictions on capitalization for rate-making purposes.
Section 58-9-370. Annual and special reports.
Section 58-9-380. Office in State.
Section 58-9-390. Compliance with rules and regulations.
Section 58-9-510. Changes in phone rates.
Section 58-9-520. Change in telephone rates initiated by utility; notice.
Section 58-9-530. Dispensing with thirty days' notice of rate change.
Section 58-9-540. Hearing on new schedule of rates; time for Commission action.
Section 58-9-570. Factors which Commission shall consider in determining rates.
Section 58-9-575. Alternative means of regulating telephone utilities.
Section 58-9-577. Approval of alternative form of regulation; conditions and effect of approval.
Section 58-9-585. Alternative means of regulating interexchange telecommunications carrier.
Section 58-9-710. Orders for more reasonable, adequate and efficient service.
Section 58-9-720. Miscellaneous regulations.
Section 58-9-730. Fixing value of utility.
Section 58-9-740. Reparation orders.
Section 58-9-750. Suit to enforce reparation order.
Section 58-9-770. Suits to discontinue or prevent violation of law or order.
Section 58-9-780. Investigations.
Section 58-9-800. Inspection and copying of tax returns, reports and other information.
Section 58-9-810. Promulgation of rules and regulations.
Section 58-9-820. Enforcement powers generally.
Section 58-9-830. Enumeration of powers not exclusive.
Section 58-9-1020. Employment and duties of special agent or examiner.
Section 58-9-1040. Issuance of subpoenas and other process.
Section 58-9-1050. Self-incrimination; immunity.
Section 58-9-1060. Taking of depositions.
Section 58-9-1070. Production of books and other records.
Section 58-9-1080. Filing of petitions.
Section 58-9-1090. Service of petition.
Section 58-9-1100. Service of pleadings or notices.
Section 58-9-1110. Dismissal of petition without hearing.
Section 58-9-1120. Types of hearings.
Section 58-9-1130. Conduct of hearings and proceedings.
Section 58-9-1140. Time and place of hearing; notice.
Section 58-9-1150. Parties who may participate in hearings.
Section 58-9-1160. Findings and orders; sufficiency; service.
Section 58-9-1170. Effective date of order.
Section 58-9-1180. Rescission or amendment of orders or decisions.
Section 58-9-1190. Record of proceedings.
Section 58-9-1200. Rehearings.
Section 58-9-1210. Contempt of Commission.
Section 58-9-1220. Fees and mileage allowances of witnesses and officers.
Section 58-9-1230. Certified copies of documents and orders as evidence.
Section 58-9-1240. Rules governing pleadings, practice and procedure.
Section 58-9-1410. Appeals; vacating or setting aside order of commission.
Section 58-9-1430. Stay or suspension of order pending review.
Section 58-9-1450. Commission's orders presumed lawful and reasonable.
Section 58-9-1610. Penalties for violation of Articles 1 through 13 of this chapter.
Section 58-9-1620. Each violation and each day of continuing violation deemed a separate offense.
Section 58-9-1630. Principals responsible for acts of agents.
Section 58-9-1640. Penalties shall be cumulative.
Section 58-9-1650. Actions to recover penalties.
Section 58-9-1810. Duty to receive and transmit telegrams.
Section 58-9-1820. Liability for messages in cipher.
Section 58-9-1840. Delivery of certain messages.
Section 58-9-1850. Free delivery of messages in certain cities.
Section 58-9-1860. Liability for negligence causing mental anguish or suffering.
Section 58-9-2020. Authorization to construct, maintain and operate lines in State.
Section 58-9-2030. Condemnation powers generally.
Section 58-9-2150. Delivery of messages between points in this State.
Section 58-9-2160. Action for damages for failure to deliver message between points in this State.
Section 58-9-2200. Definitions.
Section 58-9-2210. Cable service franchise agreement authority.
Section 58-9-2220. Retail telecommunications services business license taxes; maximum rates.
Section 58-9-2240. Regulatory control by local government.
Section 58-9-2250. Existing consent agreements.
Section 58-9-2260. Enforcement of ordinances or practices conflicting with article.
Section 58-9-2270. Customer bill disclosure of business license tax.
Section 58-9-2510. Definitions.
Section 58-9-2515. Public Service Commission jurisdiction.
Section 58-9-2520. Statewide access program.
Section 58-9-2530. Dual party relay charge.
Section 58-9-2535. Dual party relay charge collections.
Section 58-9-2550. Distribution systems.
Section 58-9-2600. Purpose of article.
Section 58-9-2610. Definitions.
Section 58-9-2620. Duties and restrictions; cost and rate computations; accounting requirements.
Section 58-9-2630. Tax collections and payments.
Section 58-9-2650. Liability insurance rates.
Section 58-9-2660. Petitions to designate unserved areas; notice; objections.
Section 58-9-2689. Report of State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee.
Section 58-9-3000. Short title; legislative findings.
Section 58-9-3010. Definitions.
Section 58-9-3020. Actions authorized to be taken by electric cooperatives.
Section 58-9-3030. Nondiscriminatory access; written contracts; retail broadband service.
Section 58-9-3040. Electric easements; civil actions; damages; liability.