---
type: "Bill"
title: "Coastal Tideland and Wetlands Permit Application"
description: "AN ACT 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; BY AMENDING SECTION 48-39-80, RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, SO AS TO DEEM A COASTAL ZONE CONSISTENCY CERTIFICATION APPROVED IF, FOR ALL OTHER STATE PERMITS, CERTIFICATION REVIEW IS NOT COMPLETED WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSING; BY ADDING SECTION 48-6-35 SO AS TO PERMIT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TO HIRE THIRD-PARTY, INDEPENDENT ENGINEERS TO ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT WITH ITS DUTIES AND TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH REGULATIONS FOR CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS TO BID ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK; AND BY REPEALING A PORTION OF SECTION 48-39-130 AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2032, AND TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN MAINTENANCE DREDGING AFTER THAT DATE. - RATIFIED TITLE"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2025-2026"
identifier: "H 3931"
citation: "South Carolina H 3931 (2025-2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bailey", "Brewer", "Burns", "Guffey", "Haddon", "Lowe", "M.M. Smith", "Robbins", "Schuessler", "Sessions"]
version_count: 8
action_count: 24
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2025-02-06"
last_action: "2026-04-23"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/033ab381-15a0-4750-abab-171e847dad24"
source_url: "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3931&session=126&summary=B"
source_hash: "c4ea45d9fe8763d0c36f8a24308238cc394d96ccf6516b18258fa67279995f33"
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 3931 (2025-2026) — Coastal Tideland and Wetlands Permit Application

AN ACT 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; BY AMENDING SECTION 48-39-80, RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, SO AS TO DEEM A COASTAL ZONE CONSISTENCY CERTIFICATION APPROVED IF, FOR ALL OTHER STATE PERMITS, CERTIFICATION REVIEW IS NOT COMPLETED WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSING; BY ADDING SECTION 48-6-35 SO AS TO PERMIT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TO HIRE THIRD-PARTY, INDEPENDENT ENGINEERS TO ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT WITH ITS DUTIES AND TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH REGULATIONS FOR CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS TO BID ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK; AND BY REPEALING A PORTION OF SECTION 48-39-130 AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2032, AND TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN MAINTENANCE DREDGING AFTER THAT DATE. - 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/sess126_2025-2026/bills/3931.htm)
2. **02/06/2025** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3931_20250206.htm)
3. **03/24/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3931_20260324.htm)
4. **03/26/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3931_20260326.htm)
5. **04/01/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3931_20260401.htm)
6. **04/09/2025** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3931_20250409.htm)
7. **04/23/2025** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3931_20250423.htm)
8. **04/24/2025** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/3931_20250424.htm)

## Votes

- 2nd Reading — **37–0** (pass) · upper
- Concur in Senate Amendments — **112–0** (pass) · lower
- Passage of Bill — **102–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Bailey — primary (person)
- Brewer — primary (person)
- Burns — primary (person)
- Guffey — primary (person)
- Haddon — primary (person)
- Lowe — primary (person)
- M.M. Smith — primary (person)
- Robbins — primary (person)
- Schuessler — primary (person)
- Sessions — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2025-02-06** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2025-02-06** Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry `referral-committee`
- **2025-02-26** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Schuessler
- **2025-04-09** Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Guffey
- **2025-04-09** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Labor, Commerce and Industry `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2025-04-23** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2025-04-23** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2025-04-23** Roll call Yeas-102 Nays-0
- **2025-04-24** Read third time and sent to Senate `passage, reading-3`
- **2025-04-24** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2025-04-24** Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs `referral-committee`
- **2025-04-24** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2026-03-24** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical Affairs `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-26** Committee Amendment Adopted `amendment-passage`
- **2026-03-26** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-03-26** Roll call Ayes-37 Nays-0
- **2026-03-31** Read third time and returned to House with amendments `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-04-01** Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
- **2026-04-01** Roll call Yeas-112 Nays-0
- **2026-04-01** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2026-04-01** Ratified R 124
- **2026-04-06** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-23** Effective date 04/06/26
- **2026-04-23** Act No. 116

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/033ab381-15a0-4750-abab-171e847dad24`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).