The South Carolina Libertarian Party strongly opposes HB 3876, a bill that imposes sweeping mandates on short-term rentals and digital rental platforms. The bill undermines privacy, burdens small property owners, and threatens the availability of services like Airbnb and Vrbo across South Carolina.
Key objections:
Expanding State Reporting Requirements on Peaceful Property Use
The bill requires annual reports listing the physical addresses of all rental properties used more than 14 days per year, regardless of whether taxes were already collected. This could turn ordinary homeowners into de facto registrants under state surveillance.
Government Redefines Who Is a “Retailer” or “Merchant of Record”
HB 3876 rewrites the rules of commerce by dictating who is considered the “merchant of record”, either a platform like Airbnb or a licensed property manager, forcing arbitrary liability on private businesses and individuals. This undermines voluntary contracts and exposes hosts to legal confusion and financial risk.
Forced Disclosure of Private Credit Card and Payment Information
HB 3876 mandates that platforms like Airbnb share guest credit card numbers and payment details with third-party property managers. This gross violation of financial privacy opens the door to abuse, fraud, and loss of consumer trust.
Airbnb May Cease Operations in South Carolina
Airbnb has warned that the bill’s legal and logistical burdens could make it impossible to continue hosting in South Carolina. The result would be lost income for thousands of homeowners and reduced travel options for visitors.
Massive Expansion of Platform Liability and Erosion of Digital Privacy
The bill creates a compliance minefield that exposes platforms and hosts to liability for how taxes are collected, who processes payments, and how data is handled, all dictated by the state. This shift destroys trust in secure digital systems and paves the way for further regulatory overreach.
REJECT THIS BILL
The South Carolina Libertarian Party urges lawmakers to reject HB 3876 in full. This bill poses a direct threat to private property rights, voluntary economic exchange, and digital privacy. It punishes responsible short-term rental hosts for operating outside traditional, heavily licensed industry channels.
By imposing new reporting requirements and tax compliance burdens on short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and individual hosts, the bill could give an unfair advantage to hotels, resorts, and large property management firms.
If passed, HB 3876 may drive out smaller, independent hosts who cannot keep up with the added bureaucracy, effectively shrinking competition and consolidating market power in the hands of a few large players.
What can you do?
Contact your legislator and tell them DON’T SUPPORT THIS BILL! Email, phone call, social media tags, whatever you have at your disposal, use it. The legislature may try in the 11th hour to slip this through. Don’t let them get away with it.
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