A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 32-7-20, RELATING TO PRENEED FUNERAL CONTRACTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE INCLUSION IN SUCH CONTRACTS OF THE TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER AND WEBSITE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AND A STATEMENT THAT QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE DEPARTMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 37-2-305, RELATING TO CERTAIN CREDITORS FILING AND POSTING MAXIMUM RATE SCHEDULES, SO AS TO REQUIRE SUCH FILINGS TO INCLUDE THIS SAME LANGUAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 37-2-307, RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE SALES CONTRACTS CLOSING FEES, SO AS TO REQUIRE DEALERS TO INCLUDE SUCH LANGUAGE IN A NOTICE TO CONSUMERS; BY AMENDING SECTION 37-3-305, RELATING TO CERTAIN CREDITORS FILING AND POSTING MAXIMUM RATE SCHEDULES, SO AS TO REQUIRE SUCH FILINGS TO INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 37-6-202, RELATING TO NOTIFICATION FILING REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN CONSUMER CREDIT TRANSACTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE SUCH FILINGS TO INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 37-6-204, RELATING TO NOTIFICATION FILING REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS MAKING CONSUMER RENTAL-PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS, SO AS TO REQUIRE SUCH FILINGS TO INCLUDE THIS LANGUAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 37-11-35, RELATING TO CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE INCLUSION OF SIMILAR LANGUAGE IN THESE AGREEMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 37-16-50, RELATING TO CONTRACTS FOR PREPAID LEGAL SERVICES, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE INCLUSION OF SIMILAR LANGUAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 37-17-52, RELATING TO INFORMATION PROVIDED TO APPLICANTS BY A DISCOUNT MEDICAL PLAN ORGANIZATION, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE INCLUSION OF SIMILAR LANGUAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 39-61-110, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS OF SERVICE CONTRACTS, SO AS TO INCLUDE SIMILAR LANGUAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-39-80, RELATING TO PAWN TICKETS AND THE CONTENT REQUIREMENTS THEREOF, SO AS TO INCLUDE SIMILAR LANGUAGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 44-79-30, RELATING TO CREDIT CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO INCLUDE SIMILAR LANGUAGE; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 59-102-100, RELATING TO AGENCY CONTRACTS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES, SO AS TO INCLUDE SIMILAR LANGUAGE.
H3658 is a consumer-protection bill that standardizes disclosure language across a wide range of South Carolina contracts and notices. It requires many businesses and regulated entities to include the Department of Consumer Affairs’ toll-free phone number and website, along with a statement telling consumers that questions or complaints may be directed to the department. The affected transactions and contracts include preneed funeral contracts, consumer credit and loan rate schedules, motor vehicle closing fee notices, consumer rental-purchase notifications, continuing care retirement community reservation agreements, prepaid legal services contracts, discount medical plan documents, service contracts, pawn tickets, physical fitness contracts, and athlete-agent agency contracts.
The bill also adds or reinforces consumer-facing notice requirements in several areas. For example, it requires dealers to disclose closing fees to motor vehicle buyers and lessees, requires pawn tickets to identify the Department of Consumer Affairs contact information, and requires continuing care retirement community operators to provide complaint information and periodic updates to prospective residents. In some sections, the bill preserves existing substantive rules while adding the new disclosure language; in others, it clarifies filing, posting, or contract-content requirements for regulated businesses.
The bill’s overall impact on state law is to expand the informational and complaint-access obligations of businesses that sell or administer consumer financial products, services, and long-term contracts. It does not appear to change the underlying pricing, licensing, or cancellation rules in most of these chapters, but it does amend multiple code sections to make the Department of Consumer Affairs a more visible point of contact for consumers. The act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
The general sentiment reflected by the bill text is consumer-oriented and administrative rather than controversial on its face. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no documented debate or opposition in the available materials. The bill appears designed to improve transparency, standardize disclosures, and make complaint pathways easier for consumers across several industries.
Potential points of contention, if any arise, would likely involve the added compliance burden on businesses and regulated entities that must revise contracts, notices, filings, and tickets to include the new language. Entities affected include creditors, dealers, pawnbrokers, funeral providers, retirement community operators, prepaid legal service companies, discount medical plan organizations, fitness centers, and athlete agents. However, no specific objections or amendments are shown in the provided record.
H3658 amends multiple sections of the South Carolina Code to require consumer-facing disclosures that direct people to the Department of Consumer Affairs, including its toll-free number, website, and complaint language. It affects statutes governing preneed funeral contracts, consumer credit and loan disclosures, motor vehicle closing fee notices, rental-purchase notifications, continuing care retirement communities, prepaid legal services, discount medical plans, service contracts, pawn tickets, fitness contracts, and athlete-agent contracts. The bill primarily adds notice and disclosure requirements rather than changing substantive rights or pricing rules.
The bill appears broadly pro-consumer and administrative in nature, with an emphasis on transparency and easier access to complaint resolution. No committee discussion or vote history was provided, so there is no recorded opposition or support to characterize beyond the text itself. Based on the bill’s structure, it seems intended to be a routine consumer-protection update rather than a contentious policy change.
The main likely point of contention is compliance burden: affected businesses and regulated professionals would need to update contracts, disclosures, filings, and tickets to include the Department of Consumer Affairs contact information and complaint statement. This could affect creditors, dealers, pawnbrokers, funeral providers, retirement communities, prepaid legal service companies, discount medical plan organizations, fitness centers, and athlete agents. No specific objections, supporters, or negotiated compromises are shown in the provided materials.