South Carolina H 3931: William Marshburn/Sympathy

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3931 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 01, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3931

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Amendment Adopted

March 26, 2026

H. 3931

Introduced by Reps. Bailey, Sessions, Brewer, 
Robbins, M. M. Smith, Burns, Haddon, Lowe, Schuessler and Guffey 

S. Printed 3/26/26--S. [SEC 
4/1/2026 11:37 AM]

Read the first time April 24, 2025

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH 
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 48-39-150, RELATING TO APPROVAL OR 
DENIAL OF PERMITS, SO AS TO ESTABLISH TIMELINES FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO TAKE 
ACTION ON A PERMIT APPLICATION.

 Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 48-39-150(C) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (C) The department shall act upon an 
application for a permit within ninety days after the application 
is filedrequest is determined by the department to 
be administratively and technically complete. Provided, however, that in 
the case of minor developments, as defined in Section 48-39-10, the department 
shall have the authority to approve such permits and shall act within thirty 
days after the request is determined by the department to 
be administratively and technically complete. If 
the department requests additional technical information from the applicant, 
that request must be made within fifteen days after the conclusion of the 
public notice period. If a department request for additional technical 
information is not made within fifteen days after the conclusion of the public 
notice period, the application shall be considered complete and a decision must 
be rendered within the time frames prescribed above. In the event a 
permit is denied the department shall state the reasons for such denial and 
such reasons must be in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

SECTION 2. Section 48-39-80(B)(11) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (11) Develop a system whereby the 
department shall have the authority to review all state and federal permit 
applications in the coastal zone, and to certify that these do not contravene 
the management plan. For individual navigable waters permits for docks located 
in the eight coastal counties but outside of critical areas, a coastal zone 
consistency certification is deemed approved if certification review is not 
completed within thirty days of an administratively complete application. For all other state permits, a coastal zone consistency 
certification is deemed approved if certification review is not completed 
within ninety days of the public comment period closing.

SECTION 3. Chapter 6, Title 48 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
48-6-35. (A) The Department of 
Environmental Services may hire one or more third-party, independent engineers 
to assist the department in its duties.

 (B) The 
department must establish such reasonable regulations with respect to the 
qualifications of contractors allowed to bid on work of the department. Such 
regulations may fix eligibility requirements for bidders according to available 
capital and with due regard to experience and records of past performance. 

SECTION 4. Section 
48-39-130(D)(10) of the S.C. Code is repealed on September 30, 2032. Any 
maintenance dredging occurring after September 30, 2032, in areas that were 
dredged pursuant to Section 48-39-130(D)(10) must be performed pursuant to the 
provisions contained in Chapter 39, Title 48 and the maintenance dredging 
regulations promulgated pursuant to this act.

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on April 01, 2026 at 11:37 AM