S 0473 General Bill, By Moore
 A Bill to amend Chapter 9, Title 50, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by
 adding Article 2 so as to require the South Carolina Department of Wildlife
 and Marine Resources to establish a mandatory hunter education program for
 persons purchasing hunting licenses who were born after December 31, 1973, to
 allow reciprocity for successful completion of comparable courses in other
 jurisdictions, and to provide a penalty for violations.

   02/25/93  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-5
   02/25/93  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-5

A BILL

TO AMEND CHAPTER 9, TITLE 50, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 2 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND MARINE RESOURCES TO ESTABLISH A MANDATORY HUNTER EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PERSONS PURCHASING HUNTING LICENSES WHO WERE BORN AFTER DECEMBER 31, 1973, TO ALLOW RECIPROCITY FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF COMPARABLE COURSES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS.

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

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

"Article 2

Section 50-9-60. It is unlawful for a person:

(1) born after December 31, 1973, to procure a hunting license or to hunt by means of weapons unless he has been issued a certificate or other evidence the department considers acceptable to indicate satisfactory completion of a hunter education course as prescribed by the commission;

(2) authorized to issue hunting licenses in this State to issue a hunting license to a person born after December 31, 1973, unless that license agent has been provided with a certificate showing the license applicant has completed satisfactorily a hunter education course as prescribed by the commission;

(3) born after December 31, 1973, who is not required by law to obtain a hunting license to hunt in this State unless that person carries on his person while hunting a certificate attesting his satisfactory completion of a hunter education course as prescribed by the commission.

Section 50-9-70. A person under the age of sixteen shall have on his person while hunting a certificate of satisfactory completion of a hunter education course as prescribed by the commission. A person under the age of sixteen who does not have the certificate while hunting shall enroll in an approved hunter education course within one hundred twenty days and satisfactorily complete the course before being allowed to hunt.

Section 50-9-80. A person applying for a season nonresident hunting license may exhibit a certificate of completion of the official hunter education or hunter safety course of his state of residence if that course has been approved by the department. A person applying for a ten-day nonresident hunting license is not required to exhibit a certificate or to complete a hunter education course in order to obtain a ten-day nonresident hunting license.

Section 50-9-90. The board shall prescribe by regulation a course of instruction in competency and safety in hunting and in the handling of weapons. The board shall prescribe procedures to allow competent residents of this State to be certified as hunter education instructors and provide, by regulation, for reasonable fees for hunter education courses in order to defray the expenses of conducting the courses.

Section 50-9-100. A person violating any provision of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days."

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