Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:3917 Primary Sponsor:Snow Committee Number:20 Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Wildlife management areas Residing Body:House Current Committee:Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environmental Affairs Computer Document Number:NO5/7112BD.93 Introduced Date:19930413 Last History Body:House Last History Date:19930413 Last History Type:Introduced, read first time, referred to Committee Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Snow Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN Leg Involved
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3917 House 19930413 Introduced, read first time, 20
referred to Committee
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TO AMEND SECTION 50-9-150, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PERMITS FOR THE AREAS AND THE USE OF PERMIT FEES AND DELETE PROVISIONS FOR LEASING OF LAND FOR THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA PROGRAM; AND TO AMEND SECTION 50-11-2200, RELATING TO HUNTING DEER IN THE AREAS, SO AS TO DELETE THE PROVISIONS FOR DEER AND PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR LEASING THE AREAS AND HUNTING AND TAKING FISH AND WILDLIFE ON THE AREAS AND FOR RELATED PENALTIES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 50-9-150 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 50-9-150. The South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department shall promulgate regulations requiring persons sixteen and above who hunt on wildlife management areas to purchase a permit. The annual cost of a permit is not more than thirty dollars and fifty cents for state residents and not more than seventy-six dollars for nonresidents. The permit is valid for the year in which it is issued. One dollar of the permit cost may be retained by the issuing agent and the balance paid to the department. The funds so derived by the department must be retained and used exclusively for the procurement of wildlife management areas by rent, lease, or exchange and the management of the areas. The number of nonresident permits sold during a particular year shall not exceed the ratio of the number of nonresident permits sold for the previous year versus all permits sold to both residents and nonresidents for the previous year times the total number of permits sold in the previous year to both residents and nonresidents. Permits issued for one day only must be issued at a cost of no more than five dollars and fifty cents for state residents. The one-day permits will be issued from the department headquarters only upon the request of a hunter who has been drawn to participate in a wildlife department sponsored hunt. The department may not lease any land for the Wildlife Management Area Program which, during the preceding twenty-four months, has been held under a private hunting lease by a club or individual. This restriction does not apply if the former lessee executes a voluntary consent to the proposed wildlife management area lease, the lessor cancels the lease for cause, or to lands which during the twenty-four months prior to June 5, 1986, were in the game management area program. The department may not pay more than the fair market value in the area for any lease acquired under this program. The department may not have under lease at any one time more than one million, six hundred thousand acres in the Wildlife Management Area Program. The department may establish open and closed seasons, bag limits, and methods for taking game on all wildlife management areas.
(A) For the privilege of hunting on wildlife management area lands throughout the State, a:
(1) resident shall purchase a wildlife management area permit in addition to the required resident hunter's license for a fee of thirty dollars and fifty cents. One dollar of this fee may be retained by the issuing agent;
(2) nonresident shall purchase a wildlife management area permit in addition to the required nonresident hunter's license for a fee of seventy-six dollars. One dollar of this fee may be retained by the issuing agent;
(B) The department may issue wildlife management area permits valid for one day only for a fee of five dollars and fifty cents. The one-day hunt permits are available only for department-sanctioned hunts or other user visits to wildlife management areas.
(C) Funds derived from sale of wildlife management area permits must be retained by the department and used exclusively for the management and procurement of wildlife management area lands."
SECTION 2. Section 50-11-2200 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 50-11-2200. It is unlawful to hunt deer on land designated as wildlife management areas within three hundred yards of a residence. Anyone violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.
(A) The department shall acquire sufficient wildlife habitat through lease or purchase or otherwise to establish wildlife management areas for the protection, propagation, and promotion of fish and wildlife and for public hunting and fishing. The department may not have under lease at one time more than one million, six hundred thousand acres in the Wildlife Management Area Program. The department may not pay more than fair market value for the lease of lands for the areas. The department may not lease land for the program which, during the preceding twenty-four months, has been held under a private hunting lease by a club or individual. This restriction does not apply if the former lessee executes a voluntary consent to the proposed wildlife management area lease or the lessor cancels the lease for cause or to lands which during the twenty-four months before June 5, 1986, were in the Game Management Area Program. The department may establish open and closed seasons, bag limits, methods for hunting and taking fish and wildlife, and user restrictions on the areas. Department regulations pertaining to the areas must be published before October second each year. It is unlawful to hunt, use, or take fish and wildlife on wildlife management areas except as permitted by the department.
(B) A person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.