A 2003 amendment to the South Carolina Local Government Planning Enabling Act established mandatory training requirements for all appointees and staff involved with local planning and zoning. These individuals must complete an initial six-hour orientation followed by at least three hours of continuing education training each year thereafter to comply with state law.

The consequence for not meeting the training requirement is severe. An appointed official can be removed from office, and a professional employee can be suspended or dismissed. It could also be grounds for a legal challenge of official actions taken by a board or commission.