---
type: "Bill"
title: "Red drum, saltwater fish, deer hunting"
description: "AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-1705, RELATING TO CATCH LIMITS FOR CERTAIN SALTWATER GAME FISH, SO AS TO REVISE THE CATCH LIMIT FOR RED DRUM; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-1710, RELATING TO SIZE LIMITS FOR CERTAIN SALTWATER GAME FISH, SO AS TO REVISE THE SIZE LIMIT FOR RED DRUM; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-1700, RELATING TO EQUIPMENT FOR THE CATCHING OF SALTWATER GAME FISH, SO AS TO REQUIRE A NONOFFSET, NONSTAINLESS STEEL CIRCLE HOOK WHEN USING A HANDHELD HOOK AND LINE AND A HOOK SIZE OF 4/0 OR LARGER; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 50-9-650, RELATING TO DEER HUNTING, SO AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ANTERLESS DEER TAGS ISSUED. - RATIFIED TITLE"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2025-2026"
identifier: "S 961"
citation: "South Carolina S 961 (2025-2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Campsen"]
version_count: 7
action_count: 24
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2026-02-26"
last_action: "2026-06-05"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/d66536c2-877f-4ae9-a428-ea521430121c"
source_url: "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=961&session=126&summary=B"
source_hash: "4f19f8c053601e8f490be63b6246e649c6e96c12af091c3f0227a4b567479d1f"
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 S 961 (2025-2026) — Red drum, saltwater fish, deer hunting

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-1705, RELATING TO CATCH LIMITS FOR CERTAIN SALTWATER GAME FISH, SO AS TO REVISE THE CATCH LIMIT FOR RED DRUM; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-1710, RELATING TO SIZE LIMITS FOR CERTAIN SALTWATER GAME FISH, SO AS TO REVISE THE SIZE LIMIT FOR RED DRUM; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-5-1700, RELATING TO EQUIPMENT FOR THE CATCHING OF SALTWATER GAME FISH, SO AS TO REQUIRE A NONOFFSET, NONSTAINLESS STEEL CIRCLE HOOK WHEN USING A HANDHELD HOOK AND LINE AND A HOOK SIZE OF 4/0 OR LARGER; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 50-9-650, RELATING TO DEER HUNTING, SO AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ANTERLESS DEER TAGS ISSUED. - 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/961.htm)
2. **02/26/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/961_20260226.htm)
3. **03/04/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/961_20260304.htm)
4. **03/11/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/961_20260311.htm)
5. **05/06/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/961_20260506.htm)
6. **05/07/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/961_20260507.htm)
7. **05/12/2026** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/961_20260512.htm)

## Votes

- to adopt amendment — **43–0** (pass) · upper
- Concur in Senate Amendments — **104–6** (pass) · lower
- Passage of Bill — **98–3** (pass) · lower
- 2nd Reading — **39–1** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Campsen — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2026-02-26** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2026-02-26** Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-04** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2026-03-11** Committee report: Favorable Fish, Game and Forestry `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-17** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-03-17** Roll call Ayes-39 Nays-1
- **2026-03-19** Read third time and sent to House `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-03-24** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2026-03-24** Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs `referral-committee`
- **2026-05-06** Committee report: Favorable with amendment Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-05-07** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2026-05-07** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-05-07** Roll call Yeas-98 Nays-3
- **2026-05-07** Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day
- **2026-05-08** Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-05-12** House amendment amended `amendment-amendment`
- **2026-05-12** Roll call Ayes-40 Nays-0
- **2026-05-12** Returned to House with amendments
- **2026-05-14** Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
- **2026-05-14** Roll call Yeas-104 Nays-6
- **2026-05-15** Ratified R 242
- **2026-05-19** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2026-06-05** Effective date See Act for Effective Date
- **2026-06-03** Act No. 231

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/d66536c2-877f-4ae9-a428-ea521430121c`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).