H*3271(Rat #0117, Act #0060)  General Bill, By McKay, Askins and Jennings
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 50-21-87 so as to prohibit a person from operating a vessel within fifty feet
 of another vessel when a diver is displaying a diver down flag to provide the
 conditions which must exist for the prohibition to exist and to provide
 exceptions.-amended title

   01/27/93  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-4
   01/27/93  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-4
   04/01/93  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental
                     Affairs HJ-3
   04/06/93  House  Amended HJ-23
   04/06/93  House  Read second time HJ-24
   04/07/93  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-19
   04/07/93  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-11
   04/07/93  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-12
   04/22/93  Senate Committee report: Favorable Fish, Game and
                     Forestry SJ-12
   04/27/93  Senate Read second time SJ-64
   04/28/93  Senate Read third time and enrolled SJ-21
   05/11/93         Ratified R 117
   05/13/93         Signed By Governor
   05/13/93         Effective date 05/13/93
   05/25/93         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-21-87 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A PERSON FROM OPERATING A VESSEL WITHIN FIFTY FEET OF ANOTHER VESSEL WHEN A DIVER IS DISPLAYING A DIVER DOWN FLAG TO PROVIDE THE CONDITIONS WHICH MUST EXIST FOR THE PROHIBITION TO EXIST AND PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS.

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

Operation of vessel

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-21-87. (A) A person may not operate a vessel within fifty feet of another vessel when a diver is displaying a diver down flag (red with a diagonal white stripe) to mark the location of the diver. When the flag is being displayed in a water body too narrow to allow passage of another vessel other than within fifty feet, a vessel operator may proceed only past the displayed flag at a no-wake speed and allowing as much clearance between his vessel and the displayed flag as is safe and practical.

(B) A person may not engage in diving activities within fifty feet of a vessel whose occupant is fishing.

(C) A person does not violate this section if he fishes or displays a dive flag in an area before another person subsequently engages in diving activities or operates a vessel within fifty feet of a displayed dive flag."

Time effective

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

Approved the 13th day of May, 1993.