Bill > H3343

This bill amends South Carolina law to prohibit companies owned or controlled by the People's Republic of China (PRC) or the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from owning, leasing, possessing, or controlling land within fifty miles of state or federal military bases for the purpose of installing telecommunications or broadcasting towers. Companies with such ownership must replace any existing telecommunications equipment in place before January 1, 2023, with equipment manufactured in the United States and installed by a U.S. company. The bill broadly defines "company" to include various types of business entities and allows for unannounced inspections of telecommunications equipment to check for monitoring, jamming, or interception devices, which must be removed if discovered. The legislation specifically lists several South Carolina military installations affected by this law, such as Fort Jackson and Shaw Air Force Base, and provides comprehensive definitions of key terms like "Chinese Communist Party" and "People's Republic of China" to ensure broad application. The act will take effect immediately upon the Governor's approval, representing a significant restriction on Chinese-affiliated companies' ability to operate near military infrastructure in South Carolina.

Business and Industry

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3343&session=126&summary=B