H*4743(Rat #0186, Act #0177 of 2016)  General Bill, By Bedingfield, Dillard, 
Robinson-Simpson and Henderson
 AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 50-11-935 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE LAND OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE CONESTEE
 FOUNDATION AND KNOWN AS LAKE CONESTEE NATURE PARK IS DECLARED TO BE A WILDLIFE
 SANCTUARY. - ratified title

   01/26/16  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 21)
   01/26/16  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs
                     (House Journal-page 21)
   02/03/16  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor:
                     Robinson-Simpson
   02/10/16  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Henderson
   02/25/16  House  Committee report: Favorable Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs
                     (House Journal-page 65)
   02/29/16         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/02/16  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 28)
   03/02/16  House  Roll call Yeas-84  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 28)
   03/03/16  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 18)
   03/08/16  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 6)
   03/08/16  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry
                     (Senate Journal-page 6)
   04/21/16  Senate Committee report: Favorable Fish, Game and
                     Forestry (Senate Journal-page 16)
   05/11/16  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 40)
   05/11/16  Senate Roll call Ayes-43  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 40)
   05/12/16  Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 9)
   05/17/16         Ratified R 186
   05/23/16         Signed By Governor
   05/26/16         Effective date 05/23/16
   05/27/16         Act No. 177

H. 4743

(A177, R186, H4743)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-11-935 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE LAND OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE CONESTEE FOUNDATION AND KNOWN AS LAKE CONESTEE NATURE PARK IS DECLARED TO BE A WILDLIFE SANCTUARY.

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

Lake Conestee Nature Park Wildlife Sanctuary

SECTION    1.    Article 5, Chapter 11, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-11-935.    The land owned and managed by the Conestee Foundation, Incorporated, a private nonprofit conservation organization, located in Greenville County, and known as Lake Conestee Nature Park, is declared to be a wildlife sanctuary for the protection and conservation of game, songbirds, waterfowl, fish, amphibians, other animals, and plant life.

It is unlawful to hunt, trap, take, gather, harvest, or molest any plants, animals, or artifacts on the lands of Lake Conestee Nature Park, except for purposes of habitat management or research. The Conestee Foundation may at its discretion issue permits for research and site management activities related to wildlife and habitat management. It is unlawful to release any nonnative plants or animals, including pets and domesticated animals on the lands of Lake Conestee Nature Park.

The Conestee Foundation shall post signs along the outer boundaries of its lands and at locations where streams and creeks enter into Lake Conestee Nature Park, notifying the public that the area is a wildlife sanctuary and is closed to hunting, trapping, taking and collection of plants, animals, and artifacts, except as permitted by the Foundation.

No animals, flowers, shrubs, trees, plants, or artifacts shall be damaged or removed from the park without a permit from the Conestee Foundation.

Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.

Designation as a wildlife sanctuary does not alter existing rights held or conveyed under the conservation easement agreement applying to Lake Conestee Nature Park."

Time Effective

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

Ratified the 17th day of May, 2016.

Approved the 23rd day of May, 2016.