After two years of deliberations, significant legislative changes have finally come to fruition for South Carolina’s largest state agency, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). In September 2021, Nexsen Pruet began speculating on the future of the DHEC, and now we have our answers. S. 399, a bill that will radically transform DHEC’s structure, has received the official endorsement of Governor McMaster and has become Act 60.
This legislation marks a decisive shift in the organization’s modus operandi, resulting in a de facto division of the agency. The details of the bill, as well as the implications for the agency’s operations, warrant a deeper dive.
Under Act 60, the DHEC’s responsibilities will be split to account for the varying and often overlapping nature of their charge, effective from the law’s implementation. However, there are several activities that must occur before the effective date of the law, laying the groundwork for this major restructuring. Maynard Nexsen provides a comprehensive overview of the newly enacted legislation in his article.
While it is still too early to project the full impact of this law, it is certain that these developments will have significant implications for South Carolina’s health and environmental regulatory frameworks. As legal professionals, it is crucial to stay informed about this evolving situation and its potential ripple effects across related legal areas.
As more information becomes available on how the DHEC plans to enact this change and what the post-restructuring agency will look like, we will strive to provide timely updates. Keeping a finger on the pulse of these dramatic shifts within the DHEC is vital for navigating the constantly shifting sands of regulatory and compliance environments in the state.