S 718 — Removal of People from Vehicle Park

2025-2026 Bill 718 Text of Previous Version (Jan.(Dec.

29,10, 2026)2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 718Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.

Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.) Committee  Report  January  29,  2026    S.    A bill   TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 45-2-65 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH AN OPERATOR OF ANY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE PARK MAY HAVE ANY TRANSIENT GUEST OF THE PARK REMOVED, AND TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR REMOVAL OF THE GUEST.

718   Introduced by Senator Garrett   S.

Printed 1/29/26--S.

Read the first time January 13, 2026   ________   The committee on Senate Family and Veterans' Services To whom was referred a Bill (S.

718) to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 45-2-65 so as to provide the conditions under which an operator of any recreational vehicle park may have, etc., respectfully Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

     Amend the bill, as and if amended, by adding appropriately numbered SECTIONS to read:

SECTION X.

Chapter 37, Title 27 of the S.C.

Code is amended by adding:

      Section 27-37-170.

(A) A property owner or his authorized representative may request from the sheriff of the county in which the property is located the immediate removal of a person unlawfully occupying a residential dwelling pursuant to this section if the following conditions are met:

       (1) the requesting person is the property owner or authorized agent of the property owner;

       (2) the real property that is being occupied includes a residential dwelling;

       (3) an unauthorized person has unlawfully entered, remains, or continues to reside on the owner's property;

       (4) the real property was not open to members of the public at the time the unauthorized person entered;

       (5) the property owner has directed the unauthorized person to leave the property;

       (6) the unauthorized person is not a current or former tenant pursuant to a written or oral agreement authorized by the property owner;

       (7) the unauthorized person is not an immediate family member of the property owner;

and        (8) there is no pending litigation related to the real property between the property owner and the person unlawfully occupying the property.

    (B) To request the immediate removal of an unlawful occupant of a residential dwelling, the property owner or his authorized representative must submit a complaint to remove a person unlawfully occupying residential real property to the Sheriff of the county in which the real property is located.

In the submitted complaint, the owner or authorized agent of the owner of the real property must state the legal description of the property and declare under the penalty of perjury that:

       (1) he is the owner of the real property or the authorized representative of the owner of the real property;

       (2) he purchased the property and provides the date of purchase;

       (3) the real property is a residential dwelling;

       (4) an unauthorized person has unlawfully entered and is remaining or residing unlawfully on the real property;

       (5) the real property was not open to members of the public at the time the unauthorized person entered;

       (6) he has directed the unauthorized person to leave the real property, but the person has not done so;

       (7) the person is not a current or former tenant pursuant to any valid lease authorized by the property owner, and any lease that may be produced by an occupant is fraudulent;

       (8) the unauthorized person sought to be removed is not an owner or a co-owner of the property and has not been listed on the title to the property unless the person has engaged in title fraud;

       (9) the unauthorized person is not an immediate family member of the property owner;

       (10) there is no pending litigation related to the real property between the property owner and the person sought to be removed;

       (11) the owner of the property understands that a person removed from the property pursuant to this procedure may bring a cause of action against the owner of the property for any false statements made in the complaint, or for wrongfully using the procedure, and that as a result of such action the owner of the property may be held liable for actual damages, penalties, costs, and reasonable attorney's fees;

       (12) the owner of the property is requesting the sheriff to immediately remove the unauthorized person from the residential property;

       (13) the owner of the property must attach a copy of a valid government-issued identification, or if a representative of the property owner, attach documents evidencing representative's authority to act on the property owner's behalf;

and        (14) the form must be signed by the owner of the property or the representative of the owner of the property, and it must include the following language:

"I HAVE READ EVERY STATEMENT MADE IN THIS PETITION AND EACH STATEMENT IS TRUE AND CORRECT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE STATEMENTS MADE IN THIS PETITION ARE BEING MADE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY, PUNISHABLE AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 16-9-10 OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE."     (C) Upon receipt of the complaint, the Sheriff shall verify that the person submitting the complaint is the record owner of the real property or the authorized representative of the owner and appears otherwise entitled to relief under this section.