AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 48-23-120, RELATING TO FORESTRY COMMISSION ACQUISITIONS, SO AS TO PERMIT ACQUISITION OF TIMBERLANDS AND AGRICULTURAL LANDS, TO PROVIDE FOR USES OF THOSE LANDS AND PROHIBIT ACQUISITION OF LAND AT A PRICE EXCEEDING ITS FAIR MARKET VALUE; BY AMENDING SECTION 48-23-132, RELATING TO REVENUES FROM SPECIFIED SOURCES, SO AS TO OUTLINE WHAT THE FUNDS MAY BE USED FOR; BY AMENDING SECTION 48-33-60, RELATING TO DUTIES AND POWERS OF COUNTY FORESTRY BOARDS AND EMPLOYEES, SO AS TO SPECIFY DUTIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 48-33-70, RELATING TO FOREST FIRE PROTECTION ACTIVITIES, SO AS TO UPDATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 48-33-80, RELATING TO ACCESS TO PROPERTY, SO AS TO DESIGNATE WHO MAY ACCESS LAND FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING OR CONTROLLING FIRES; BY REPEALING SECTION 48-23-270 RELATING TO USE OF REVENUE FOR SCRUB OAK ERADICATION, REFORESTATION, TIMBER STAND IMPROVEMENT, AND HARVEST CUTTING IN STATE PARKS; AND BY REPEALING SECTION 48-23-280 RELATING TO USE OF REVENUE FOR SCRUB OAK ERADICATION AND REFORESTATION IN MANCHESTER AND SANDHILLS STATE FORESTS.
H3629 revises several provisions governing the South Carolina Forestry Commission and county forestry boards. It changes the rules for acquiring forestry lands by setting a price cap for certain acquisitions and requiring purchases to be at fair market value. It also updates how revenue from commission lands is retained and spent, directing those funds toward reforestation, state forest operations, forest tree seed orchards, wildlife habitat, and related program administration, while excluding Sand Hills State Forest from the revenue-retention provision.
The bill also clarifies the duties of county forestry boards and forestry personnel. It requires county boards to review, revise, and adopt annual forest fire protection plans, confirms that county fire-protection employees must be county residents, and updates the State Commission of Forestry’s annual reporting on fire protection activities. In addition, it expressly authorizes the commission, its agents, and county forestry board members to enter land to prevent or control forest fires without liability for trespass. Finally, it repeals two older sections that earmarked revenue for scrub oak eradication, reforestation, timber stand improvement, and harvest cutting in state parks and in Manchester and Sand Hills state forests.
The bill amends Title 48 of the South Carolina Code, affecting the Forestry Commission’s land acquisition authority, revenue use, county forestry board operations, and wildfire response powers. It narrows and clarifies how forestry-related revenues may be spent, removes obsolete or duplicative earmarks, and updates administrative procedures for forest fire protection planning and reporting. The practical effect is to modernize forestry management rules and consolidate funding and operational authority within the commission and county boards.
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition. It passed the House 112-0, passed the Senate on second reading 40-0, and the House later concurred in Senate amendments 111-0. The unanimous votes suggest the measure was viewed as a routine or technical forestry management update rather than a controversial policy change.
No committee testimony or recorded debate is provided, and the voting record shows no opposition. The main substantive changes are administrative and fiscal: setting acquisition pricing limits, redirecting retained revenues to specified forestry purposes, and repealing older special-purpose funding provisions. If there was any potential point of concern, it would likely have been the shift away from dedicated revenue uses for specific projects in state parks and certain state forests, but the available record does not show any organized resistance.