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2025-2026 Bill 5069: SC Protected Lands and Conservation Coordination Act
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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A190, R209, H5069
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. T. Moore, Bradley, Wooten, Brittain, Bernstein, Holman, Ford, Wetmore, Stavrinakis, B. Newton, Rivers, Anderson, Kirby, McDaniel, Caskey, Erickson, Reese, Chapman, Govan, Yow, Bustos, Martin, Sessions, Gatch, M.M. Smith, D. Mitchell, Guest, Neese, Pedalino, Bauer, W. Newton, Gilreath, Gilliam, Luck, Pope, Ligon, Cox, J.L. Johnson, Guffey, Bowers, Jordan, Collins, Duncan, Teeple, Lawson, Sanders, Montgomery, Ballentine, Brewer, Gagnon, Haddon, Hartnett, Hartz, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hixon, Jones, Lowe, Robbins, Cromer, Oremus, Davis, Gilliard, Gibson, McCravy and C. Mitchell
Document Path: LC-0256HA26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 29, 2026
Introduced in the Senate on April 15, 2026
Last Amended on May 6, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Governor's Action: May 18, 2026, Signed
Summary: SC Protected Lands and Conservation Coordination Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
1/29/2026
House
Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 16
)
1/29/2026
House
Referred to Committee on
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 16
)
3/24/2026
House
Recalled from Committee on
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 52
)
3/24/2026
House
Committed to Committee on
Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
(
House Journal-page 52
)
4/2/2026
House
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cromer,
Oremus
4/2/2026
House
Committee report: Favorable
Ways and Means
(
House Journal-page 6
)
4/13/2026
Scrivener's error corrected
4/14/2026
House
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Davis,
Gilliard, Gibson, McCravy, C. Mitchell
4/14/2026
House
Read second time (
House Journal-page 40
)
4/14/2026
House
Roll call Yeas-107 Nays-2 (
House Journal-page 40
)
4/15/2026
House
Read third time and sent to Senate (
House Journal-page 15
)
4/15/2026
Senate
Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 41
)
4/15/2026
Senate
Referred to Committee on
Agriculture and Natural Resources
(
Senate Journal-page 41
)
4/28/2026
Senate
Committee report: Favorable
Agriculture and Natural Resources
(
Senate Journal-page 15
)
5/6/2026
Senate
Amended (
Senate Journal-page 90
)
5/6/2026
Senate
Read second time (
Senate Journal-page 90
)
5/6/2026
Senate
Roll call Ayes-41 Nays-2 (
Senate Journal-page 90
)
5/7/2026
Scrivener's error corrected
5/7/2026
Senate
Read third time and returned to House with amendments (
Senate Journal-page 15
)
5/12/2026
House
Debate adjourned (
House Journal-page 112
)
5/13/2026
House
Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (
House Journal-page 88
)
5/13/2026
House
Roll call Yeas-110 Nays-2 (
House Journal-page 88
)
5/14/2026
Ratified R 209
5/18/2026
Signed By Governor
6/2/2026
Effective date 05/18/26
6/2/2026
Act No. 190
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/29/2026
04/02/2026
04/13/2026
04/28/2026
05/06/2026
05/06/2026-A
05/07/2026
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
NOTE: THIS IS A TEMPORARY VERSION. THIS DOCUMENT WILL REMAIN IN THIS VERSION UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
(A190, R209, H5069)
AN ACT TO 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 RECOGNIZE CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES AS AN IMPORTANT STATE INTEREST; AND TO ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE PROTECTED LAND BENCHMARK.
Whereas, South Carolina's natural resources, including forests, farmlands, wetlands, wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal areas, are vital to the State's environmental health, economic vitality, agricultural productivity, and quality of life; and
Whereas, continued growth and rapid land development in South Carolina place increasing pressure on natural resource preservation and have affected the health of the State's streams, rivers, wetlands, water quality, wildlife habitats, and working lands, all of which impact the quality of life of the state's current and future citizens; and
Whereas, conservation of these resources is achieved through a combination of public and private efforts, voluntary landowner participation, agency programs, and local initiatives; and
Whereas, coordination among state agencies promotes the efficient use of public funds and strengthens conservation outcomes while respecting private property rights; and
Whereas, voluntary conservation easements on private lands provide a cost-effective means of protecting working lands and natural resources and are an important tool for advancing landscape-scale conservation across the State. Now, therefore:
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Citation
SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "South Carolina Protected Lands and Conservation Coordination Act."
State policy and goals
SECTION 2. Title 48 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
CHAPTER 61
South Carolina Protected Lands and Conservation Coordination Act
Section 48-61-110. It is the policy of this State to recognize the conservation of natural resources as an important state interest and to encourage resource agencies, consistent with their statutory authority and missions, to support conservation through planning, grant program administration, land management, voluntary landowner partnerships, and activities that contribute to the establishment of protected land. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to authorize the regulation of private property beyond statutory authority, require the acquisition of private land, or diminish private property rights.
Section 48-61-120. (A) The General Assembly recognizes that approximately three million four hundred thousand acres of land in this State are currently protected through conservation easements, public ownership, and other legally enforceable conservation mechanisms.
(B) It is the long-range goal of the State to increase protected land to seven million acres by the year 2050, representing roughly one third of the state's land area. This benchmark is intended solely for purposes of long-term planning, performance measurement, and evaluation of conservation trends and does not create a legal requirement, mandate, or entitlement.
(C) Progress toward the benchmark described in subsection (B) shall be measured based on acres of protected land established or enhanced through voluntary conservation mechanisms and within statutory authority and available resources.
(D) Nothing in this section may be construed to require the acquisition of private land or interests in land, authorize regulatory restrictions on private property beyond the law, or obligate the General Assembly to appropriate funds.
Severability
SECTION 3. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act, and each and every section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.
Time effective
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 14th day of May, 2026.
Approved the 18th day of May, 2026.
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This web page was last updated on
June 2, 2026 at 10:59 AM