S*0913(Rat #0178, Act #0165 of 2014)  General Bill, By Campsen
 AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 50-9-675 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A PERMIT TO ENGAGE IN FALCONRY IN THIS STATE,
 THE FEE FOR THE PERMIT, AND THAT A PERSON HOLDING A VALID FEDERAL FALCONRY
 PERMIT ON JANUARY 1, 2014, MAY ENGAGE IN FALCONRY WITHOUT A SOUTH CAROLINA
 FALCONER'S PERMIT UNTIL THE FEDERAL PERMIT EXPIRES; AND BY ADDING SECTION
 50-11-600 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "FALCONRY", TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL
 TO USE BIRDS OF PREY TO TAKE WILDLIFE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE
 A PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS SECTION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT
 OF NATURAL RESOURCES MAY PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF
 THIS SECTION. - ratified title

   01/14/14  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 73)
   01/14/14  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry
                     (Senate Journal-page 73)
   02/06/14  Senate Committee report: Favorable Fish, Game and
                     Forestry (Senate Journal-page 14)
   02/07/14         Scrivener's error corrected
   02/19/14  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 31)
   02/19/14  Senate Roll call Ayes-45  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 31)
   02/20/14  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 10)
   02/25/14  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 8)
   02/25/14  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs
                     (House Journal-page 8)
   04/10/14  House  Committee report: Favorable Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs
                     (House Journal-page 1)
   04/29/14  House  Debate adjourned until Tues., 5-6-14
                     (House Journal-page 101)
   05/08/14  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 139)
   05/08/14  House  Roll call Yeas-102  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 139)
   05/13/14  House  Read third time and enrolled (House Journal-page 8)
   05/15/14         Ratified R 178
   05/16/14         Signed By Governor
   05/27/14         Effective date 05/16/14
   06/02/14         Act No. 165

(A165, R178, S913)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-9-675 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A PERMIT TO ENGAGE IN FALCONRY IN THIS STATE, THE FEE FOR THE PERMIT, AND THAT A PERSON HOLDING A VALID FEDERAL FALCONRY PERMIT ON JANUARY 1, 2014, MAY ENGAGE IN FALCONRY WITHOUT A SOUTH CAROLINA FALCONER'S PERMIT UNTIL THE FEDERAL PERMIT EXPIRES; AND BY ADDING SECTION 50-11-600 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "FALCONRY", TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO USE BIRDS OF PREY TO TAKE WILDLIFE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS SECTION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES MAY PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.

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

Falconry

SECTION    1.    Article 6, Chapter 9, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-9-675.    (A)    For the privilege of engaging in falconry, in addition to a statewide hunting license, a person must obtain a falconry permit. The fee for the permit is one hundred dollars, and the permit expires three years from the date of its issuance.

(B)    A person holding a valid federal falconry permit on January 1, 2014, may engage in falconry without a South Carolina falconer's permit until the federal permit expires."

Falconry

SECTION    2.    Article 3, Chapter 11, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-11-600.    (A)    Falconry is the hunting of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey or raptor (Order Falconiformes or Order Strigiformes other than bald eagle).

(B)    It is unlawful to use birds of prey to take any wildlife except as authorized in this section. Any person convicted of violating this section or regulations promulgated pursuant to this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned up to thirty days, or both.

(C)    The department may promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this section."

Time effective

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 15th day of May, 2014.

Approved the 16th day of May, 2014.