Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

 

Amended

February 19, 2026

 

H. 5096

 

Introduced by Reps. Haddon, Yow, Burns, Brewer, Rankin, Chumley, Morgan, Pedalino, J. E. Johnson, Guffey, Chapman, Lastinger, Robbins, Holman, Calhoon, Davis, Cox, Brittain, Forrest, Gagnon, Hixon, Ligon, Atkinson, Cromer and Gilreath

 

S. Printed 2/19/26--H.

Read the first time February 4, 2026

 

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statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill makes it illegal to manufacture, sell, hold, offer for sale, or distribute artificial or cell-cultivated food products in the state. This bill gives authority to a department to revoke or suspend the business license of a food establishment that manufactures, distributes, or sells cultivated meat, to issue a stop-sale, removal, or hold order on a product found to be artificial or cell-cultivated food products, and to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of Article 5 of Chapter 17, Title 47, dealing with artificial or cell-cultured food products. The department authorized to complete the requirements of this bill is not defined; however, the title refers to the Department of Agriculture, which is assumed to be the department referenced.

A person who violates of the provisions in this bill is guilty of a misdemeanor offense, which is subject to imprisonment for up to one year, or fined up to $1,000, or both. In addition, the business license of any restaurant, store, or other business may be suspended upon the conviction of an owner or employee of that business that violates the artificial or cell-cultured food product provisions.

 

Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture indicates that this bill will have no fiscal impact on the department to accomplish the new responsibilities in the bill dealing with artificial or cell-cultivated food products as any increase in workload can managed with existing staff and resources.

 

Judicial. This bill makes it misdemeanor to manufacture, sell, hold, offer for sale, or distribute artificial or cell-cultivated food products in the state, which is currently legal, which may increase the number of cases heard in circuit court. Since this bill makes a current legal practice illegal, there is no data to estimate the number of new criminal cases that will be filed as a result of this bill. Judicial anticipates that any increase in caseloads can be managed with existing appropriations. However, Judicial indicates that if caseloads increase significantly, Judicial will request an increase in General Fund appropriations.

 

State Revenue

This bill may result in a change in the fines and fees collected in court. Court fines and fees are distributed to the General Fund, Other Funds, and local funds. Therefore, RFA anticipates this bill may result in a change to the General Fund and Other Funds revenue due to the change in fines and fees collections in court

 

Local Expenditure

This bill may increase the number of individuals imprisoned in local jails. The potential increase in expenses for local jails will depend upon the increase in the number of cases and number of incarcerations.

 

 

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

 

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A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING ARTICLE 5 OF CHAPTER 17, TITLE 47, RELATING TO MISREPRESENTING PRODUCTS THAT ARE CELL-CULTURED MEAT, SO AS TO PROVIDE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MANUFACTURE, SELL, OR DISTRIBUTE ARTIFICIAL OR CELL-CULTIVATED FOOD PRODUCTS IN THIS STATE, to make a technical change, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ARTICLE, AND TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MAY PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.

    Amend Title To Conform

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  Article 5, Chapter 17, Title 47 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

Article 5

 

Cell-Cultured MeatArtificial or Cell-Cultured Food Product

 

    Section 47-17-510. (A) For the purposes of this section:

       (1) "artificial or cell-cultivated food product" means any food product developed in a laboratory or facility and grown from a biopsy of living animal cells including, but not limited to, livestock, poultry, fish, crustaceans, or other animal protein; and

       (2) "sells, or holds or offers for sale" does not include retail sales except under the circumstances where a retailer is also the manufacturer.

    (B) It shall be unlawful for any person to:

       (1) manufacture, sell, hold, offer for sale, or distribute artificial or cell-cultivated food product in this State; or

       (2) label any artificial or cell-cultivated food product as beef, poultry, fish, crustacean, or any other animal protein that the artificial or cell-cultivated food product may resemble for the purposes of advertising, manufacturing, selling, or holding or offering for sale in this State.

    (C) No person who advertises, manufactures, sells, or holds or offers for sale any artificial or cell-cultivated food product in this State shall engage in a misleading or deceptive practice related to an artificial or cell-cultivated food product including, but not limited to, misrepresenting an artificial or cell-cultivated food product as being derived from harvested production beef, poultry, fish, crustacean, or other animal protein. The front of all artificial or cell-cultivated food product packaging must contain a conspicuous label that indicates that the artificial or cell-cultivated food product is not beef, poultry, fish, crustacean, or any other animal protein that the artificial or cell-cultivated food product may resemble.

    (D)(C) Each package that violates a provision of this section shall be a separate and distinct offense.

 

    Section 47-17-520. The provisions of this article do not apply to plant-based meat substitutes.Reserved.

 

    Section 47-17-530. (A) A person who violates this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than one year, or fined not more than one thousand dollars, or both.

    (B) The department may revoke or suspend the business license of a food establishment that manufactures, distributes, or sells cultivated meat in violation of this article.

    (C) In addition to the penalties provided in this section, the business license of any restaurant, store, or other business may be suspended upon the conviction of an owner or employee of that business for a violation of this article in connection with that business.

    (D) The department may issue and enforce a stop-sale, stop-use, removal, or hold order on a product found to be in violation of this article.

    (E) The department may promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this article.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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