City lobbyists brief Greenville City Council on major state bills, budget and session timing

The Greenville City Council received a legislative briefing from lobbyists Ted Riley and Tara Boone of Riley Pope & Laney on state activity affecting municipalities, including tort reform, changes to bill deadlines and several housing- and permitting-related measures.

Riley said the ongoing session is “the first year of a 2 year session, which is everything that doesn't happen past this year retains its place on the calendar,” and warned members that both chambers have removed their traditional crossover deadline.

The update outlined priority items the lobbyists and city are monitoring and where the city is taking or expects to take action. The most prominent topics were Senate Bill 244 on tort reform, permit-application deadlines (H.3215), several bills on affordable housing, a pending annexation notice requirement, and a recently filed bill that would limit diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state agencies and local governments.

City staff members and the lobbyists said they are tracking the budget closely because it includes money that could affect local reimbursements and aid to municipalities. Riley noted the House ways and means committee had released a budget that includes additional money for local governments and other municipal interests.

On tort reform, Riley described competing priorities in both chambers: “There’s a lot of angst and a lot of money going into both sides on that bill,” and said Senate leadership is pressing for a strong bill to take into conference with the House. He told council members insurers have pulled out of the state in part because liability costs are high, a factor behind lawmakers’ interest in changes such as joint-and-several liability adjustments and liquor-liability reforms.

On permit and timing matters, city staff said they will testify on H.3215, a bill that would create automatic approvals if certain permitting actions are not decided within a statutory window. Michael Frickson will testify on behalf of the city about concerns for zoning-related reviews and appeals, which the staff said may be difficult to reconcile with a 45‑day automatic-approval window when public hearings are required.

Riley and Boone said the Municipal Association and the city are monitoring annexation changes being discussed in the House, including one measure that would require cities to notify the county before a first reading on annexation. The lobbyists said that notice requirement would not, in their view, directly prevent annexations but would add an extra procedural step.

On affordable housing bills, the lobbyists said several have been introduced and are being watched, although only a small number have advanced. They pointed to a bill clarifying tax exemptions for nonprofit housing corporations as one that advanced, saying it would limit exemptions by reference to the nonprofit’s actual ownership percentage.

Riley and Boone encouraged council and staff to use the weekly and Friday legislative updates they circulate and to contact the Greenville delegation on specific items. The lobbyists said they will keep council informed, will send bill lists when asked and will coordinate testimony and talking points where the city needs to engage.

The council did not take any formal votes on legislative positions during the meeting; staff was directed to continue monitoring bills, coordinate testimony on H.3215 and share materials from the lobbyists with council members.