H*3792(Rat #0110, Act #0059 of 2011)  General Bill, By Rutherford
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-85, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE CONDITIONS UPON WHICH A PERSON MAY OPERATE A VESSEL
 DISPLAYING, REFLECTING, OR FLASHING A BLUE LIGHT, SO AS TO REVISE THE
 CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A PERSON MAY OPERATE A VESSEL WHILE DISPLAYING A BLUE
 LIGHT, AND TO REVISE THE PENALTY PROVISION. - ratified title

   03/03/11  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 13)
   03/03/11  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 13)
   04/13/11  House  Recalled from Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 39)
   04/14/11         Scrivener's error corrected
   04/26/11  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 80)
   04/26/11  House  Roll call Yeas-108  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 80)
   04/27/11  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 11)
   04/28/11  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 10)
   04/28/11  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry
                     (Senate Journal-page 10)
   05/19/11  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Fish,
                     Game and Forestry (Senate Journal-page 13)
   06/01/11  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 60)
   06/01/11  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 60)
   06/01/11  Senate Roll call Ayes-38  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 60)
   06/02/11         Scrivener's error corrected
   06/02/11  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments (Senate Journal-page 12)
   06/29/11  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
                     (House Journal-page 25)
   06/29/11  House  Roll call Yeas-103  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 25)
   07/26/11         Ratified R 110
   08/01/11         Signed By Governor
   08/05/11         Effective date 08/01/11
   08/05/11         Act No. 59

(A59, R110, H3792)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-85, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE CONDITIONS UPON WHICH A PERSON MAY OPERATE A VESSEL DISPLAYING, REFLECTING, OR FLASHING A BLUE LIGHT, SO AS TO REVISE THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A PERSON MAY OPERATE A VESSEL WHILE DISPLAYING A BLUE LIGHT, AND TO REVISE THE PENALTY PROVISION.

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

Display of a blue light on a watercraft

SECTION    1.    Section 50-21-85 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 50-21-85.    A person shall not operate a vessel displaying or using a rotating, strobing, flashing, or intermittently reflecting blue light unless a duly commissioned law enforcement officer is on board.

The operator of a vessel being approached by a vessel flashing a blue light shall stop or maneuver in a way as to permit boarding, so far as possible without endangering his vessel, and not begin normal movement again until directed by the law enforcement officer or until the vessel flashing a blue light has cleared the immediate area.

The operator of a vessel approaching an area where a vessel flashing a blue light is located or patrolling shall slow his vessel to a no wake speed and shall maintain the speed until clear of the area.

A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than thirty days for each violation."

Time effective

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

Ratified the 26th day of July, 2011.

Approved the 1st day of August, 2011.