--- type: "Bill" title: "Blue crab, robust redhorse" description: "AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 50-5-400 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE LIMITED COMMERCIAL BLUE CRAB LICENSE AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING THE LICENSE; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-350, RELATING TO THE TRANSFERABILITY OF LICENSES, SO AS TO EXEMPT THE LIMITED COMMERCIAL BLUE CRAB LICENSE FROM THE GENERAL TRANSFER PROHIBITION; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-325, RELATING TO COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT LICENSES AND FEES, SO AS TO REVISE THE FEE STRUCTURE FOR THE COMMERCIAL TRAP LICENSE; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-360, RELATING TO LICENSES TO ENGAGE IN SHEDDING PEELER CRABS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT AN APPLICANT'S OR LICENSEE'S BUSINESS PREMISES BE CAPABLE OF PEELER SHEDDING OPERATIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-545, RELATING TO TRAPS FOR TAKING BLUE CRAB, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE MATERIAL, DIMENSIONS, AND ESCAPE-VENT REQUIREMENTS OF THE TRAPS; BY ADDING SECTION 50-5-1345 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO PROMULGATE CERTAIN REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE TAKING OF BLUE CRABS BY TRAP; BY ADDING SECTION 50-5-1302 SO AS TO ESTABLISH A RECREATIONAL LIMIT OF ONE BUSHEL OF BLUE CRABS PER PERSON PER DAY NOT TO EXCEED TWO BUSHELS PER BOAT; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-330, RELATING TO RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT LIMITS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CRAB TRAPS THAT MAY BE USED FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES FROM TWO TO FIVE WITH A RECREATIONAL CRAB TRAP ENDORSEMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-9-540, RELATING TO RECREATIONAL SALTWATER FISHING LICENSES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE COST OF THE RECREATIONAL CRAB TRAP ENDORSEMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-555, RELATING TO TRAP PLACEMENT AND ATTENTION REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY FOR CERTAIN VIOLATIONS RELATING TO TRAP PLACEMENT; AND BY ADDING SECTION 50-13-647 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE TAKING, HARMING, OR KILLING OF ROBUST REDHORSE. - RATIFIED TITLE" jurisdiction: "us/states/sc" legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly" session: "2023-2024" identifier: "H 4386" citation: "South Carolina H 4386 (2023-2024)" classification: ["bill"] subjects: [] status: "enacted" primary_sponsors: ["Forrest"] version_count: 7 action_count: 27 vote_count: 5 first_action: "2023-04-26" last_action: "2024-07-17" source: "openstates" source_identifier: "ocd-bill/0faf91d7-03c0-4a3d-ba42-4972955768f9" source_url: "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4386&session=125&summary=B" source_hash: "06508ab6d2be8339c1137917ce880899e6fe658097773f1a64174895c7bfc4ab" vintage: "2026-07-01" source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump" retrieved_at: "2026-07-06" confidence: "reported" tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-sc"] --- # South Carolina H 4386 (2023-2024) — Blue crab, robust redhorse AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 50-5-400 SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE LIMITED COMMERCIAL BLUE CRAB LICENSE AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING THE LICENSE; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-350, RELATING TO THE TRANSFERABILITY OF LICENSES, SO AS TO EXEMPT THE LIMITED COMMERCIAL BLUE CRAB LICENSE FROM THE GENERAL TRANSFER PROHIBITION; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-325, RELATING TO COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT LICENSES AND FEES, SO AS TO REVISE THE FEE STRUCTURE FOR THE COMMERCIAL TRAP LICENSE; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-360, RELATING TO LICENSES TO ENGAGE IN SHEDDING PEELER CRABS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT AN APPLICANT'S OR LICENSEE'S BUSINESS PREMISES BE CAPABLE OF PEELER SHEDDING OPERATIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-545, RELATING TO TRAPS FOR TAKING BLUE CRAB, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE MATERIAL, DIMENSIONS, AND ESCAPE-VENT REQUIREMENTS OF THE TRAPS; BY ADDING SECTION 50-5-1345 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO PROMULGATE CERTAIN REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE TAKING OF BLUE CRABS BY TRAP; BY ADDING SECTION 50-5-1302 SO AS TO ESTABLISH A RECREATIONAL LIMIT OF ONE BUSHEL OF BLUE CRABS PER PERSON PER DAY NOT TO EXCEED TWO BUSHELS PER BOAT; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-330, RELATING TO RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT LIMITS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CRAB TRAPS THAT MAY BE USED FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES FROM TWO TO FIVE WITH A RECREATIONAL CRAB TRAP ENDORSEMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-9-540, RELATING TO RECREATIONAL SALTWATER FISHING LICENSES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE COST OF THE RECREATIONAL CRAB TRAP ENDORSEMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-555, RELATING TO TRAP PLACEMENT AND ATTENTION REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY FOR CERTAIN VIOLATIONS RELATING TO TRAP PLACEMENT; AND BY ADDING SECTION 50-13-647 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE TAKING, HARMING, OR KILLING OF ROBUST REDHORSE. - RATIFIED TITLE ## Version chain The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment. 1. **Filed** (filed) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/4386.htm) 2. **02/14/2024** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/prever/4386_20240214.htm) 3. **04/16/2024** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/prever/4386_20240416.htm) 4. **04/27/2023** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/prever/4386_20230427.htm) 5. **05/07/2024** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/prever/4386_20240507.htm) 6. **05/08/2024** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/prever/4386_20240508.htm) 7. **06/26/2024** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/prever/4386_20240626.htm) ## Votes - Passage of Bill — **108–0** (pass) · lower - Adopt Conference Report — **88–15** (pass) · lower - 3rd Reading — **43–0** (pass) · upper - Concur in Senate Amendments — **0–104** (fail) · lower - to adopt the conference report — **42–0** (pass) · upper ## Sponsors - Forrest — primary (person) ## Timeline The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote. - **2023-04-26** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1` - **2023-04-26** Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs `referral-committee` - **2024-02-14** Committee report: Favorable Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs `committee-passage-favorable` - **2024-02-27** Read second time `reading-2` - **2024-02-27** Roll call Yeas-108 Nays-0 - **2024-02-28** Read third time and sent to Senate `passage, reading-3` - **2024-02-28** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1` - **2024-02-28** Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry `referral-committee` - **2024-04-16** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Fish, Game and Forestry `committee-passage-favorable` - **2024-05-07** Committee Amendment Adopted `amendment-passage` - **2024-05-07** Read second time `reading-2` - **2024-05-08** Amended `amendment-passage` - **2024-05-08** Read third time and returned to House with amendments `passage, reading-3` - **2024-05-08** Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0 - **2024-05-09** Non-concurrence in Senate amendment - **2024-05-09** Roll call Yeas-0 Nays-104 - **2024-05-09** Senate insists upon amendment and conference committee appointed Campsen, Goldfinch, McElveen - **2024-05-09** Conference committee appointed Hixon, Forrest, McDaniel - **2024-06-26** Conference report received and adopted - **2024-06-26** Roll call Ayes-42 Nays-0 - **2024-06-26** Conference report received and adopted - **2024-06-26** Roll call Yeas-88 Nays-15 - **2024-06-26** Ordered enrolled for ratification - **2024-06-27** Ratified R 249 - **2024-07-01** Signed By Governor `executive-signature` - **2024-07-17** Effective date See Act for Effective Date - **2024-07-17** Act No. 212 ## Source OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/0faf91d7-03c0-4a3d-ba42-4972955768f9`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).