S*0987(Rat #0406, Act #0321 of 2008)  General Bill, By Gregory
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-80, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT OF BOATING LAWS, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THIS
 ENFORCEMENT AND THE AUTHORITY OF ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO ENFORCE THESE
 PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-130, RELATING TO DUTIES OF A VESSEL
 OPERATOR INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THESE DUTIES
 INCLUDING WHEN AN ACCIDENT REPORT IS REQUIRED AND TO STIPULATE THE PERSONS AND
 ENTITIES WHO MAY OBTAIN A COPY OF THE REPORT; TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-175,
 RELATING TO WATERCRAFT REQUIRED TO HEAVE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE
 MAGISTRATES COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION OVER VIOLATIONS OF THIS SECTION; BY
 ADDING SECTION 50-21-190 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO ABANDON A
 WATERCRAFT OR OUTBOARD MOTOR ON THE PUBLIC LANDS OR WATERS OF THIS STATE OR ON
 PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PROPERTY OWNER AND TO ALSO PROVIDE
 PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-710, RELATING TO AIDS TO
 NAVIGATION AND REGULATORY MARKERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ALL NO WAKE ZONES
 HERETOFORE ESTABLISHED ARE CONSIDERED ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF
 THIS SECTION; TO REPEAL SECTIONS 50-21-132, 50-21-133, 50-21-135, 50-21-136,
 50-21-137, 50-21-138, 50-21-139, 50-21-142, 50-21-143, 50-21-144, 50-21-145,
 50-21-147, AND 50-21-149 RELATING TO NO WAKE ZONES OR OTHER REGULATION OF
 WATERCRAFT ACTIVITIES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 23-28-100, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO
 UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT OF RESERVE POLICE OFFICERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT, IN
 THE DISCRETION OF THE CHIEF, A RESERVE OFFICER MAY WEAR PLAIN CLOTHES OR
 ANOTHER UNIFORM THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS DUTIES. - ratified title

   01/15/08  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-13
   01/15/08  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-13
   03/25/08  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Fish,
                     Game and Forestry SJ-4
   03/26/08         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/26/08  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted SJ-23
   03/27/08         Scrivener's error corrected
   04/02/08  Senate Amended SJ-23
   04/09/08  Senate Read second time SJ-82
   04/10/08  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-29
   04/15/08  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-20
   04/15/08  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-21
   05/29/08  House  Recalled from Committee on Judiciary HJ-22
   06/03/08  House  Amended HJ-28
   06/03/08  House  Read second time HJ-30
   06/04/08  House  Debate adjourned HJ-53
   06/05/08  House  Amended HJ-50
   06/05/08  House  Read third time and returned to Senate with
                     amendments HJ-52
   06/05/08  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-140
   06/10/08         Ratified R 406
   06/16/08         Signed By Governor
   06/23/08         Copies available
   06/23/08         Effective date 12/16/08
   07/11/08         Act No. 321

(A321, R406, S987)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-80, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT OF BOATING LAWS, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THIS ENFORCEMENT AND THE AUTHORITY OF ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO ENFORCE THESE PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-130, RELATING TO DUTIES OF A VESSEL OPERATOR INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THESE DUTIES INCLUDING WHEN AN ACCIDENT REPORT IS REQUIRED AND TO STIPULATE THE PERSONS AND ENTITIES WHO MAY OBTAIN A COPY OF THE REPORT; TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-175, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT REQUIRED TO HEAVE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE MAGISTRATES COURT RETAINS JURISDICTION OVER VIOLATIONS OF THIS SECTION; BY ADDING SECTION 50-21-190 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO ABANDON A WATERCRAFT OR OUTBOARD MOTOR ON THE PUBLIC LANDS OR WATERS OF THIS STATE OR ON PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PROPERTY OWNER AND TO ALSO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-710, RELATING TO AIDS TO NAVIGATION AND REGULATORY MARKERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ALL NO WAKE ZONES HERETOFORE ESTABLISHED ARE CONSIDERED ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF THIS SECTION; TO REPEAL SECTIONS 50-21-132, 50-21-133, 50-21-135, 50-21-136, 50-21-137, 50-21-138, 50-21-139, 50-21-142, 50-21-143, 50-21-144, 50-21-145, 50-21-147, AND 50-21-149 RELATING TO NO WAKE ZONES OR OTHER REGULATION OF WATERCRAFT ACTIVITIES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 23-28-100, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT OF RESERVE POLICE OFFICERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT, IN THE DISCRETION OF THE CHIEF, A RESERVE OFFICER MAY WEAR PLAIN CLOTHES OR ANOTHER UNIFORM THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH HIS DUTIES.

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

Enforcement

SECTION    1.    Section 50-21-80 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 50-21-80.    Any person employed or elected by this State or political subdivision thereof, whose duty it is to preserve the peace or to make arrests or to enforce the law including, but not limited to, members of the sheriff's departments, state police, enforcement officers, deputies, or other qualified persons, upon recommendation of the appropriate agency, may be empowered to enforce the provisions of this chapter. The department shall be the agency primarily responsible for enforcement of all laws pertaining to boating. Any such person is empowered to issue a summons for appearance in court or before a magistrate or make arrest for violations of this chapter or of the regulations prescribed under it."

Duties

SECTION    2.    Section 50-21-130(A), (C), and (D) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A)    It is the duty of the operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty, if he can do so without serious danger to his own vessel, crew, or passengers, to render assistance as may be practical or necessary to persons affected by the collision, accident, or other casualty including personal injury or property damage and also to give his name, address, and identification of his vessel in writing to any person injured and to the owner of any property damaged in the collision, accident, or other casualty. A person who fails to stop or to comply with the requirements of this section, is guilty of:

(1)    a misdemeanor, when personal injury or property damage results but great bodily injury or death does not result, and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than one year or fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, or both;

(2)    a felony when great bodily injury results and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than ten years and fined not less than five thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars; or

(3)    a felony when death results and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not less than one year nor more than twenty-five years and fined not less than ten thousand dollars nor more than twenty-five thousand dollars.

(C)    In the case of a reportable accident, the operator or owner of any vessel involved shall file a full description of the accident with the department and provide any information the department may require when requested as part of the investigation within forty-eight hours of the accident. The owner or operator of a watercraft involved must furnish his name, address, and identification of his watercraft in writing to any person injured or the owner of any property damaged in the accident as soon as possible after the collision. In the event an accident results in death, loss of consciousness, or serious bodily injury, the owner or operator immediately shall notify the department.

(D)    The accident report must be without prejudice, and must be for the information of the department. However, a person alleged to have sustained injury or property damage or alleged to have caused injury or property damage, their attorney, personal representative, or an insurer may obtain a copy of the report. The fact the report has been made is admissible solely to show compliance with this section, but no report or any part or statement contained in the report is admissible as evidence in a civil trial. An insured alleged to be responsible for the accident cannot be reimbursed for property damages until the report is filed."

Jurisdiction

SECTION    3.    Section 50-21-175 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"(D)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the magistrates court retains jurisdiction for violations of this section."

Unlawful to abandon

SECTION    4.    Chapter 21, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-21-190.    (A)    It is unlawful to abandon a watercraft or outboard motor on the public lands or waters of this State or on private property without permission of the property owner. This section does not apply to persons who abandon a watercraft in an emergency for the safety of the persons onboard; however, after the emergency is over, the owner and operator of the abandoned watercraft shall make a bona fide attempt to recover the watercraft.

(B)    A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned up to thirty days, or both. In addition, the owner must remove the abandoned watercraft within fourteen days of conviction. The magistrates and municipal courts are vested with jurisdiction for cases arising under this section.

(C)    An abandoned watercraft must be removed at the risk and expense of the owner."

No wake zone

SECTION    5.    Section 50-21-710 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 50-21-710.    (A)    As used in this section:

(1)    'Aids to navigation' means any device designed or intended to assist a navigator to determine his position or safe course or to warn him of danger or obstructions to navigation.

(2)    'Regulatory markers' means any device which indicates to a vessel operator the existence of dangerous areas as well as those which are intended to restrict or control, such as speed zones and areas dedicated to a particular use or to provide general information and directions. This includes bathing markers, speed zone markers, information markers, danger zone markers, boat keep out areas, mooring buoys, wharves, docks, obstructions or hazards to navigation, and any activity, object, or construction in the waters of the State.

(B)    The department may promulgate regulations for the uniform marking of the waters of the State and may regulate the operation of all vessels, watercraft, and water devices through the placement of aids to navigation and regulatory markers. The regulations shall establish a marking system compatible with the system of aids to navigation prescribed by the United States Coast Guard or its successor agency. No city, county, or person shall mark or obstruct the waters of this State in any manner so as to endanger the operation of watercraft or conflict with the marking system prescribed by the department.

(C)    The operation of any vessel, watercraft, or water device within a prohibited area is negligent operation unless the seriousness of the operation within a prohibited area constitutes reckless operation.

(D)    It shall be unlawful for a person to operate a vessel, watercraft, or water device on the waters of this State in a manner other than that prescribed or permitted by regulatory markers.

(E)    No person may moor or fasten a vessel, watercraft, or water device to or wilfully damage, tamper, remove, obstruct, or interfere with any aid to navigation or regulatory marker established pursuant to this chapter.

(F)    All no wake zones heretofore established are considered established pursuant to the authority of this section.

(G)    A person who violates a provision of this section or regulation promulgated pursuant to this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished as provided in this chapter."

Repeal

SECTION    6.    Sections 50-21-132, 50-21-133, 50-21-135, 50-21-136, 50-21-137, 50-21-138, 50-21-139, 50-21-142, 50-21-143, 50-21-144, 50-21-145, 50-21-147, and 50-21-149 of the 1976 Code are repealed.

Plain clothes or other uniforms

SECTION    7.    Section 23-28-100 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 44 of 2007, is further amended to read:

"Section 23-28-100.    The uniforms and equipment issued by the political entity shall remain the property of the entity but, in the discretion of the chief, may be entrusted to the care and control of the reserves. Reserves shall wear uniforms which shall identify them as law enforcement officers. However, in the discretion of the chief, a reserve may wear plain clothes or another uniform that is consistent with his duties as a law enforcement officer. Handguns, if issued, shall be of a caliber approved by the chief."

Time effective

SECTION    8.    This act takes effect six months after approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 10th day of June, 2008.

Approved the 16th day of June, 2008.