South Carolina H 5096: Lab grown/cultured meat

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5096 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 19, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5096

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

Amended

February 19, 2026

H. 5096

Introduced by Reps. Haddon, Yow, Burns, Brewer, 
Rankin, Chumley, Morgan, Pedalino, J. E. Johnson, Guffey, Chapman, Lastinger, 
Robbins, Holman, Calhoon, Davis, Cox, Brittain, Forrest, Gagnon, Hixon, Ligon, 
Atkinson, Cromer and Gilreath 

S. Printed 2/19/26--H.

Read the first time February 4, 2026

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statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill makes it illegal to manufacture, 
sell, hold, offer for sale, or distribute artificial or cell-cultivated food 
products in the state. This bill gives authority to a department to revoke or 
suspend the business license of a food establishment that manufactures, 
distributes, or sells cultivated meat, to issue a stop-sale, removal, or hold 
order on a product found to be artificial or cell-cultivated food products, and 
to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of Article 5 of Chapter 
17, Title 47, dealing with artificial or cell-cultured food products. The 
department authorized to complete the requirements of this bill is not defined; 
however, the title refers to the Department of Agriculture, which is assumed to 
be the department referenced.

A person who violates of the provisions in 
this bill is guilty of a misdemeanor offense, which is subject to imprisonment 
for up to one year, or fined up to $1,000, or both. In addition, the business 
license of any restaurant, store, or other business may be suspended upon the 
conviction of an owner or employee of that business that violates the 
artificial or cell-cultured food product provisions. 

Department of Agriculture. The 
Department of Agriculture indicates that this bill will have no fiscal impact 
on the department to accomplish the new responsibilities in the bill dealing 
with artificial or cell-cultivated food products as any increase in workload 
can managed with existing staff and resources. 

Judicial. This bill makes it 
misdemeanor to manufacture, sell, hold, offer for sale, or distribute 
artificial or cell-cultivated food products in the state, which is currently 
legal, which may increase the number of cases heard in circuit court. Since 
this bill makes a current legal practice illegal, there is no data to estimate 
the number of new criminal cases that will be filed as a result of this bill. Judicial 
anticipates that any increase in caseloads can be managed with existing 
appropriations. However, Judicial indicates that if caseloads increase 
significantly, Judicial will request an increase in General Fund 
appropriations.

State Revenue

This bill may result in a change in the 
fines and fees collected in court. Court fines and fees are distributed to the 
General Fund, Other Funds, and local funds. Therefore, RFA anticipates this 
bill may result in a change to the General Fund and Other Funds revenue due to 
the change in fines and fees collections in court

Local Expenditure

This bill may increase the number of 
individuals imprisoned in local jails. The potential increase in expenses for 
local jails will depend upon the increase in the number of cases and number of 
incarcerations.

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

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A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
ARTICLE 5 OF CHAPTER 17, TITLE 47, RELATING TO MISREPRESENTING PRODUCTS THAT 
ARE CELL-CULTURED MEAT, SO AS TO PROVIDE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MANUFACTURE, SELL, 
OR DISTRIBUTE ARTIFICIAL OR CELL-CULTIVATED FOOD PRODUCTS IN THIS STATE, to 
make a technical change, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS 
ARTICLE, AND TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MAY PROMULGATE 
REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.

 Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. Article 5, Chapter 17, Title 47 of the S.C. Code is 
amended to read:

Article 5

Cell-Cultured 
MeatArtificial or Cell-Cultured Food Product

 Section 
47-17-510. (A) For the purposes of 
this section:

 (1) 
"artificial or cell-cultivated food product" means any food product developed 
in a laboratory or facility and grown from a biopsy of living animal cells 
including, but not limited to, livestock, poultry, fish, crustaceans, or other 
animal protein; and

 (2) 
"sells, or holds or offers for sale" does not include retail sales except under 
the circumstances where a retailer is also the manufacturer.

 (B) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to:

 (1) manufacture, sell, hold, offer for 
sale, or distribute artificial or cell-cultivated food product i