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2025-2026 Bill 4692: South Carolina Resource Independence and Resilience Act - South Carolina Legislature Online
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4692
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. J.L. Johnson
Document Path: LC-0326DG26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
Summary: South Carolina Resource Independence and Resilience Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
12/16/2025
House
Prefiled
12/16/2025
House
Referred to Committee on
Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
1/13/2026
House
Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 58
)
1/13/2026
House
Referred to Committee on
Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
(
House Journal-page 58
)
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/17/2025
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS by ENACTing THE
"SOUTH CAROLINA RESOURCE INDEPENDENCE AND RESILIENCE ACT" BY ADDING CHAPTER 35
TO TITLE 1 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE STATE RESOURCE COMMISSION TO ACHIEVE AND
MAINTAIN A minimum TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT in the IN-STATE PRODUCTION OF CERTAIN
ESSENTIAL RESOURCES BY 2036.
W
hereas, global supply
chain disruptions have revealed the vulnerabilities of overreliance on out-of-state
and international imports of essential resources; and
W
hereas, a robust and
sustainable local production economy enhances public safety, energy security,
job creation, and environmental stewardship; and
W
hereas, South Carolina
possesses sufficient natural resources, workforce capacity, and technological
innovation to increase the local production of essential goods and services
needed for resident well-being and economic stability; and
W
hereas, South Carolina
can take steps to strengthen economic security, environmental stability, and
resilience in the State by requiring minimum thresholds for the in-state
production of critical resources, including, but not limited to, food and
energy through coordinated planning, investment, and public-private
cooperation. Now, therefore:
B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
S
ECTION 1.
This act may be cited as the "South Carolina Resource Independence and
Resilience Act."
S
ECTION 2.
T
itle 1 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
C
HAPTER 35
S
tate Resource Commission
S
ection
1-35-10
.
I
t is the policy of the State of South
Carolina to:
(
1)
achieve and maintain a minimum percentage in the in-state production of the
following categories of essential resources:
(
a)
agricultural products and food necessary for the nutrition and sustenance of
South Carolina residents;
(
b)
electricity, natural gas, renewable energy, and fuel sources used in
residential, commercial, industrial, and public infrastructure; and
(
c)
water infrastructure and critical materials as designated and updated
periodically by the South Carolina Department of Commerce, in consultation with
the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and other relevant agencies;
(
2)
set the minimum percentage set forth in item (1) to fifteen percent by 2031,
and twenty-five percent by 2036; and
(
3)
establish intermediate benchmarks and strategies to guide implementation,
measure performance, and ensure continuous progress toward the twenty-five
percent target.
S
ection
1-35-20
.
(
A) There is established the
"State Resource Commission" (SRC) within the Office of the Governor.
(
B) The
commission shall:
(
1)
coordinate statewide resource independence initiatives in collaboration with
relevant state agencies;
(
2)
develop and oversee a comprehensive implementation plan to meet the benchmarks
set forth in this chapter;
(
3)
maintain a public dashboard tracking progress, performance data, and updates to
the state's critical resources list; and
(
4)
facilitate interagency cooperation and stakeholder engagement.
(
C) The
SRC shall consist of the following members, all appointed by the Governor:
(
1)
one representative from the Department of Commerce;
(
2)
one representative from the Department of Agriculture;
(
3)
one representative from the State Energy Office;
(
4) one
representative from the Department of Natural Resources;
(
5) one
representative from Clemson University; and
(
6)
two members from the private sector with relevant industry expertise.
S
ection
1-35-30
.
(
A) The SRC shall consult
with the Department of Commerce, the Department of Revenue, and other relevant
agencies to develop and recommend a package of incentives to promote in-state
production of essential resources, including:
(
1)
tax credits for businesses and individuals engaged in local food or energy
production;
(
2)
grants or low-interest loans for infrastructure, equipment, and capacity
building for small producers and manufacturers; and
(
3)
specific incentive programs for farmers, solar and renewable energy developers,
cooperatives, and small manufacturers contributing to the production benchmarks
established by this chapter.
(
B) In
developing the package required by subsection (A), the SRC shall prioritize the
in-state production of essential resources in and for rural, underserved, and
economically distressed communities.
S
ection
1-35-40
.
(
A) The SRC shall submit an
annual report to the General Assembly, beginning no later than December 31,
2027, and each year thereafter, detailing:
(
1)
progress toward the benchmarks established in this chapter;
(
2)
challenges or barriers to implementation;
(
3)
recommendations for policy modifications, funding needs, or legislative
changes; and
(
4)
a summary of public and private sector contributions.
(
B) All
reports shall be made available to the public through a dedicated website
managed by the SRC.
S
ection
1-35-50
.
(
A) The SRC is authorized to
facilitate public-private partnerships with:
(
1)
research universities, community colleges, and technical schools to develop
workforce training programs and resource-related technology;
(
2)
electric cooperatives, agricultural cooperatives, and industry associations to
scale up local production; and
(
3) nonprofit
organizations and local governments to support regional resilience and capacity
building.
(
B)
Additionally, the provisions of this chapter may be funded by:
(
1)
appropriations from the General Assembly;
(
2)
federal infrastructure, agricultural, or energy grants, as available; and
(
3)
private-sector partnerships and contributions as set forth in subsection (A),
including cost-sharing agreements.
(
C) The
SRC is authorized to apply for and manage any grants or appropriations
necessary to fulfill its duties under this chapter.
S
ECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026.
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This web page was last updated on January 13, 2026 at 2:43 PM