H*3526(Rat #0610, Act #0502 of 1984)  General Bill, By Russell and 
D.M. McEachin
 A Bill to amend Section 50-21-850, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to the requirement that water skiers and surfers wear life
 preservers, so as to exempt windsurfers and sailboarders from the requirement;
 to amend Article 9 of Chapter 21 of Title 50, relating to waterskis,
 aquaplanes, surfboards, and similar devices, by adding Section 50-21-855, so
 as to prohibit the Wildlife and Marine Resources Department from enforcing
 regulations requiring windsurfers and sailboarders to wear or carry personal
 flotation devices; and to establish a no wake zone upriver of the Kiawah
 docking facility, to provide that expenses for the establishment and
 maintenance of signs in the area must be borne by the owners of the facility,
 and to provide that the signs must be designed and installed as specified by
 the Wildlife and Marine Resources Department.-amended title

   02/16/84  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-922
   02/16/84  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-923
   05/02/84  House  Recalled from Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-2830
   05/09/84  House  Objection by Rep. Woods, Altman, Williams & Holt
                     HJ-2969
   05/15/84  House  Objection withdrawn by Rep. Altman, Williams HJ-3073
   05/16/84  House  Read second time HJ-3104
   05/17/84  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-3134
   05/17/84  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-1856
   05/17/84  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry
                     SJ-1856
   05/29/84  Senate Recalled from Committee on Fish, Game and
                     Forestry SJ-2104
   05/29/84  Senate Amended SJ-2104
   05/29/84  Senate Read second time SJ-2104
   06/07/84  Senate  Read third time SJ-2302
   06/07/84  Senate Returned SJ-2302
   06/14/84  House  Debate adjourned on amendments HJ-3754
   06/18/84  House  Non-concurrence in Senate amendment HJ-3774
   06/20/84  Senate Senate insists upon amendment and conference
                     committee appointed Sens. Waddell, Doar, and
                     Wise SJ-2662
   06/20/84  House  Conference committee appointed Russell, McEachin
                     & Pearce HJ-3834
   06/21/84  Senate Conference report received SJ-2744
   06/21/84  Senate Conference report adopted SJ-2744
   06/21/84  House  Conference report received HJ-3925
   06/21/84  House  Conference report adopted HJ-3927
   06/21/84  House  Ordered enrolled for ratification HJ-3927
   06/22/84         Ratified R 610
   06/28/84         Signed By Governor
   06/28/84         Effective date 06/28/84
   06/28/84         Act No. 502
   07/12/84         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-850, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT WATER SKIERS AND SURFERS WEAR LIFE PRESERVERS, SO AS TO EXEMPT WINDSURFERS AND SAILBOARDERS FROM THE REQUIREMENT; TO AMEND ARTICLE 9 OF CHAPTER 21 OF TITLE 50, RELATING TO WATERSKIS, AQUAPLANES, SURFBOARDS, AND SIMILAR DEVICES, BY ADDING SECTION 50-21-855, SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE WILDLIFE AND MARINE RESOURCES DEPARTMENT FROM ENFORCING REGULATIONS REQUIRING WINDSURFERS AND SAILBOARDERS TO WEAR OR CARRY PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES; AND TO ESTABLISH A NO WAKE ZONE UPRIVER OF THE KIAWAH DOCKING FACILITY, TO PROVIDE THAT EXPENSES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF SIGNS IN THE AREA MUST BE BORNE BY THE OWNERS OF THE FACILITY, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE SIGNS MUST BE DESIGNED AND INSTALLED AS SPECIFIED BY THE WILDLIFE AND MARINE RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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

Life preservers required

SECTION 1. Section 50-21-850 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 50-21-850. No person shall water ski or ride on a surfboard or similar object unless he is wearing a ski belt, a life preserver, or similar equipment which will keep the person afloat should he fall or be thrown into the water. Participants in scheduled water ski tournaments or shows sponsored by a recognized water ski club are exempt from this requirement. Persons holding ratings of first class or higher in the American Water Ski Association are exempt from this requirement. Windsurfers and sailboarders are exempt from this requirement."

Department may enforce regulation affecting windsurfers and sailboarders

SECTION 2. Article 9 of Chapter 21 of Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-21-855. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or Regulation 123.1 of the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department may not enforce any regulation requiring windsurfers and sailboarders to wear or carry personal flotation devices."

No wake zone established

SECTION 3. There is established a no wake zone to begin one hundred yards in a southwesterly direction upriver of the Kiawah Docking Facility and extending to a point one hundred vards in a northeasterly direction downriver of the facility. These boundaries must be clearly marked with signs. Expenses for the establishment and maintenance of signs in the area must be borne by the owners of the Kiawah Island Docking Facility. The signs must be designed and installed as specified by the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department.

Time effective

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 28th day of June, 1984.