S 0835 General Bill, By Waldrep
 A BILL TO AMEND CHAPTER 25, TITLE 50, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY
 ADDING ARTICLE 15, SO AS TO PROVIDE RESTRICTIONS FOR MOTORBOATS ON ANY LAKE
 WITH A LAKE SURFACE AREA OF 55,000 ACRES OR GREATER IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO
 PROVIDE PENALTIES.

   12/19/01  Senate Prefiled
   12/19/01  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry
   01/08/02  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-42
   01/08/02  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-42

TO AMEND CHAPTER 25, TITLE 50, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 15, SO AS TO PROVIDE RESTRICTIONS FOR MOTORBOATS ON ANY LAKE WITH A LAKE SURFACE AREA OF 55,000 ACRES OR GREATER IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 25, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 15

Section 50-25-1410. Any motorboat operating upon waters on any lake with a lake surface area of fifty-five thousand acres or greater in this State shall comply with the following noise control requirements:

(1) Motorboats with inboard-outboard propulsion machinery shall exhaust through the propeller.

(2) Inboard motorboats with 'V'-drives-jets or propeller propulsion machinery with exhaust through the transom shall be water cooled with a steady stream of water and exhaust underwater while under way or exhaust through an automotive type sealed (baffle) muffler for each exhaust stack, with exhaust openings not to exceed four inches in diameter. Boats with original propulsion machinery made before 1970 are exempt from the requirements of this item.

(3) Motorboats and their propulsion machinery which exhaust over the transom shall exhaust through an automotive sealed (baffle) type muffler for each exhaust stack, with exhaust openings not to exceed four inches in diameter. Glass pack mufflers, resonators and above water open exhausts are prohibited for such motorboats. Baffle inserts are prohibited on all inboard boats.

(4) Motorboats with outboard propulsion machinery shall exhaust under water at all times unless designed or modified to exhaust above water and comply with the provisions of item (3) of this section.

Section 50-25-1420. The motorboats competing in a regatta, boat race, marine parade, tournament or exhibition approved as provided in Section 50-21-1010 shall be exempted from the provisions of this article. Exceptions may also be granted during designated hours for pretrial runs and for trial runs for speed records immediately following the event.

Section 50-25-1430. The operator of any motorboat who violates any of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined for a first offense not less than one hundred dollars nor more than four hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days. For a conviction of a second offense the punishment shall be by a fine of not less than two hundred dollars nor more than four hundred or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days. For the conviction of third or subsequent offense the punishment shall be by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months or both such fine and imprisonment."

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