H 3917 Session 110 (1993-1994)
H 3917 General Bill, By J.J. Snow
A Bill 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.
04/13/93 House Introduced and read first time HJ-11
04/13/93 House Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-12
A BILL
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.
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