Pins matching date:2026-02-05

Alabama Senate Bill 270 (Alabama Affordability Protection Act), sponsored by Sen. Lance Bell, requires the Public Service Commission to review contracts between utilities and data centers using 150+ MW to ensure costs are not passed to residential ratepayers. Requires data centers to pay full cost of grid infrastructure upgrades. Passed unanimously by both chambers (Senate 30-0, House 100-1). Governor Kay Ivey signed SB 270 into law on April 10, 2026. Senate concurred 33-0 after House amendments.

South Carolina S. 867, the 'Data Center Development Act', introduced January 29, 2026, is sponsored by Sens. Tom Davis (R-Beaufort, primary sponsor), Kimbrell, Garrett, Sutton, Walker, Blackmon, Turner, Zell, Kennedy, and Devine. The bill requires a state permit before a new data center can operate, and regulates permitted data centers on locations, water usage, infrastructure costs, and financial assurances. Sen. Davis described it as a 'middle ground' approach. Separately, H4583, the 'South Carolina Data Center Responsibility Act', is sponsored by Reps. April Cromer (R-Anderson), Gilreath, Oremus, Chumley, White, Reese, and Atkinson. Additional related bills include S. 724 (commercial data center water usage reporting) and S. 3401 (technology transparency). A gigawatt-scale data center proposal in the Lowcountry drew significant opposition from local residents and a bipartisan group of legislators representing Colleton County. VERIFIED 2026-05-26: Did not advance before South Carolina's regular session adjourned May 14, 2026 (carryover possible in the 2-year biennium). The SC Senate did pass budget provisos requiring annual data center water-use reporting ($10k/day penalty) and an economic-incentive moratorium.