Save Our Beaches.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Mary Belk and 13 co-sponsors

Disapproves the rule on using wheat straw bale sand fencing in ocean hazard areas, delaying its enforcement and any related dune protection standards.

Passed 1st Reading

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Basic information

Bill: HB 1187

Session: 2025

Jurisdiction: North Carolina

Short Title: Save Our Beaches

Sponsor: Representative Harrison (primary), with Co-sponsors Pricey Harrison, Deb Butler, Julia Greenfield

Status: Filed April 30, 2026

Purpose (as stated in bill): To disapprove a rule related to the use of wheat straw bales for sand fencing in ocean hazard areas.

What the bill would do

Disapproval of a specific rule: The bill expressly disapproves a rule adopted by the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission on April 30, 2025, and approved by the Rules Review Commission on June 26, 2025.

Rule targeted: 15A NCAC 07H .0314, titled “Installation and Maintenance of Wheat Straw Bales for Sand Fencing in Ocean Hazard Areas.”

Effect of disapproval: By disapproving the rule, the standard or procedure governing the use, installation, and maintenance of wheat straw bale sand fencing in ocean hazard areas would not take effect. In practical terms, this means the state would not implement or enforce the specifics of that rule as enacted by the CRC, at least while the disapproval is in place.

Who/what is affected

Coastal management practices: State agencies responsible for beach stabilization and dune protection (notably the Coastal Resources Commission) would be barred from enforcing the disapproved rule.

Wheat straw bale sand fencing practices: Any entities (state agencies, local governments, or property owners) seeking to rely on the rule’s prescriptions for installing and maintaining wheat straw bale sand fencing in ocean hazard areas would need to defer to existing rules or await potential new rulemaking.

Regulatory process: The bill uses the General Statutes process to disapprove a rule, temporarily withholding the rule’s effect pending further action.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Legal mechanism: Disapproval is authorized under G.S. 150B-21.3(b1), enabling the General Assembly to disapprove a previously adopted administrative rule.

Effective date: The act becomes effective when it becomes law (i.e., upon enactment and signing).

Current status in bill text: As of the text provided, the act is filed with the stated disapproval; it does not contain provisions to replace the rule with alternatives or modify other dune protection requirements.

Potential implications and considerations

If enacted, the state would temporarily remove the specific wheat straw bale sand fencing standard from enforcement, potentially affecting beach stabilization practices for ocean hazard mitigation.

Stakeholders (coastal communities, developers, environmental groups, and beach management agencies) may request alternative methods or new rules for dune protection and hurricane/storm erosion mitigation.

The bill does not address funding, broader dune management policy, or other sand fencing materials or methods beyond disapproving this particular rule.

Bill