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Bill > H5069

SC H5069

SC H5069
SC Protected Lands and Conservation Coordination Act

summary

Introduced
01/29/2026
In Committee
01/29/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

126th General Assembly

Bill Summary

Amend The South Carolina Code Of Laws By Adding Chapter 61 To Title 48 So As To Establish The "south Carolina Protected Lands And Conservation Coordination Act"; To Provide Definitions; To Recognize Conservation Of Natural Resources As An Important State Interest; To Establish A Statewide Protected Land Benchmark; And To Provide For Coordination Of Land Protection Projects And Annual Reporting To The General Assembly.

AI Summary

This bill, titled the "South Carolina Protected Lands and Conservation Coordination Act," establishes a framework for coordinating land protection efforts across the state to conserve natural resources, recognizing this as an important state interest. It defines "land protection project" as acquiring land interests for conservation, "protected land" as privately or publicly owned land permanently designated for conservation uses (not requiring public access), and lists "resource agencies" as state entities involved in conservation, including the Department of Natural Resources and the Conservation Bank. The act sets a long-range goal of increasing protected land to seven million acres by 2050, serving as a planning benchmark rather than a mandate, and emphasizes that this goal does not require acquiring private land or restricting property rights. A key provision requires resource agencies to coordinate and collaborate before using state funds for land protection projects to ensure cost-effectiveness, maximize public benefit, and avoid overlapping objectives, involving quarterly meetings, consideration of different acquisition strategies, and evaluation of project benefits. Furthermore, resource agencies must certify compliance with these coordination requirements when submitting their budget requests, and the Executive Budget Office will report annually to the General Assembly on land protection projects acquired, funding sources, and management responsibilities.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance

Sponsors (59)

Travis Moore (R)*,  Carl Anderson (D),  Nathan Ballentine (R),  Heather Bauer (D),  Beth Bernstein (D),  Phillip Bowers (R),  Jeff Bradley (R),  Gary Brewer (R),  Case Brittain (R),  Joe Bustos (R),  Micah Caskey (R),  Don Chapman (R),  Neal Collins (R),  Brandon Cox (R),  Adam Duncan (R),  Shannon Erickson (R),  Greg Ford (R),  Craig Gagnon (R),  Gil Gatch (R),  Doug Gilliam (R),  Thomas Lee Gilreath (R),  Jerry Govan (D),  Val Guest (R),  Brandon Guffey (R),  Patrick Haddon (R),  Tom Hartnett (R),  Charles Hartz (R),  Bill Herbkersman (R),  Davey Hiott (R),  Bill Hixon (R),  Harriet Holman (R),  Jermaine Johnson (D),  Wendell Jones (D),  Jay Jordan (R),  Roger Kirby (D),  Brian Lawson (R),  Randy Ligon (R),  Phillip Lowe (R),  Jason Luck (D),  David Martin (R),  Annie McDaniel (D),  Dianne Mitchell (R),  Scott Montgomery (R),  Mike Neese (R),  Brandon Newton (R),  Weston Newton (R),  Fawn Pedalino (R),  Tommy Pope (R),  Robert Reese (D),  Michael Rivers (D),  Robby Robbins (R),  Blake Sanders (R),  Heath Sessions (R),  Mark Smith (R),  Leon Stavrinakis (D),  James Teeple (R),  Spencer Wetmore (D),  Chris Wooten (R),  Richie Yow (R), 

Last Action

Referred to Committee on Ways and Means (on 01/29/2026)

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