(A) Subject to the requirements of this section, an authority may adopt reasonable indemnification, insurance, and bonding requirements related to facilities, poles, or support structures that are subject to this article.
(B) With regard to facilities, poles, and support structures that are subject to this article, an authority may not require a wireless provider to indemnify and hold the authority and its officers and employees harmless against any claims, lawsuits, judgments, costs, liens, losses, expenses, or fees, except when a court of competent jurisdiction has found that the negligence of the wireless provider while siting, installing, maintaining, repairing replacing, relocating, permitting, operating, or locating facilities, poles, or support structures pursuant to this article caused the harm that created such claims, lawsuits, judgments, costs, liens, losses, expenses, or fees. In no event shall any authority or any officer, employee, or agent affiliated therewith, while in the performance of its or his or her official duties, be liable for any claim related to the siting, installation, maintenance, repair, replacement, relocation, permitting, operation or location of facilities, poles, or support structures that are subject to this article. An authority is immune under the laws of South Carolina against any claim of violating a private deed when enforcing the terms of this article for the deployment of small wireless facilities and associated poles and support structures in the ROW.
(C) An authority may require a wireless provider to have in effect insurance coverage consistent with this section, so long as the authority imposes similar requirements on other ROW users and such requirements are reasonable and nondiscriminatory.
(1) An authority may not require a wireless provider to obtain insurance naming the authority or its officers and employees as additional insureds.
(2) An authority may require a wireless provider to furnish proof of insurance, if required, prior to the effective date of a permit issued for a small wireless facility.
(D) An authority may adopt bonding requirements for small wireless facilities if the authority imposes similar requirements in connection with permits issued for other ROW users.
(1) The purpose of such bonds must be to provide for the:
(a) removal of abandoned or improperly maintained small wireless facilities, including those that an authority determines must be removed to protect public health, safety, or welfare;
(b) restoration of the ROW as provided in Section 58-11-820(J); and
(c) recoupment of rates or fees that have not been paid by a wireless provider in over twelve months, so long as the wireless provider has received reasonable notice from the authority of any of the noncompliance listed in this subitem and given an opportunity to cure.
(2) Bonding requirements may not exceed two hundred dollars per small wireless facility. For wireless providers with multiple small wireless facilities within the jurisdiction of a single authority, the total bond amount across all facilities may not exceed ten thousand dollars and that amount may be combined into one bond instrument.
HISTORY: 2020 Act No. 179 (H.4262), Section 1, eff September 29, 2020.