government
South Carolina strips out leftover DHEC language
The bill repeals a long list of obsolete code sections tied to the former Department of Health and Environmental Control. Section 293 also orders any remaining references updated to reflect the new departments.
The point is simple: the statute book should match how state government now works. The cleanup also leaves prior orders, permits, licenses, registrations and certifications in full effect, and the law takes effect May 26, 2026.
- Old DHEC references are being rewritten to match the new agency structure.
- The fix covers permits, appeals, board language and other agency decisions.
- Section 293 tells the Code Commissioner to update leftover references.
- A long list of obsolete DHEC code sections is being repealed.
- South Carolina is cleaning up state law so it matches the agency structure created when Act 60 of 2023 split the old Department of Health and Environmental Control, or DHEC, into separate pieces
South Carolina is cleaning up state law so it matches the agency structure created when Act 60 of 2023 split the old Department of Health and Environmental Control, or DHEC, into separate pieces. The bill replaces stale DHEC-era references across the code with the departments and successor agencies now in place.
Section 293 goes a step further by directing the Code Commissioner of the Legislative Council to correct any remaining references to the former department and board so they point to the Department of Public Health, the Department of Environmental Services and related successor agencies.
When the wrong office name lingers
The changes matter most in the places where people actually run into state law: board and commission language, transfer-of-office provisions, contested-case hearings and appeal procedures. For permit applicants, regulated businesses, lawyers and people seeking public health or environmental decisions, that means fewer chances to hit an agency name that no longer matches the real structure.
This is not a new policy fight over environmental rules or public health standards. It is the legal housekeeping that keeps decisions, appeals and responsibilities tied to the right office after the breakup.
What the code loses
The measure also repeals a long list of DHEC-related code sections, clearing out language that no longer fits the post-breakup setup. The point is to make the statute book read like the government actually works now, not like it did before the split.
The General Assembly passed the bill on May 12, 2026.