South Carolina General Assembly
112th Session, 1997-1998

Bill 3135

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    3135
Ratification Number:            87
Act Number:                     21
Type of Legislation:            General Bill GB
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19970114
Primary Sponsor:                Webb 
All Sponsors:                   Webb 
Drafted Document Number:        gjk\23181sd.97
Companion Bill Number:          265
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19970506
Date of Last Amendment:         19970429
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      19970521
Subject:                        Photographs of fish or wildlife
                                used in violations of laws may be used
                                in prosecution, Natural Resources
History


Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

------  19970604  Act No. A21
------  19970521  Signed by Governor
------  19970515  Ratified R87
House   19970506  Concurred in Senate amendment,
                  enrolled for ratification
Senate  19970430  Read third time, returned to House
                  with amendment
Senate  19970429  Read second time
Senate  19970429  Committee amendment adopted
Senate  19970424  Committee report: Favorable with         07 SFGF
                  amendment
Senate  19970312  Introduced, read first time,             07 SFGF
                  referred to Committee
House   19970311  Read third time, sent to Senate
House   19970303  Read second time
House   19970226  Committee report: Favorable              20 HANR
House   19970114  Introduced, read first time,             20 HANR
                  referred to Committee
House   19970108  Prefiled, referred to Committee          20 HANR
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A21, R87, H3135)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-1-285 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IN ANY PROSECUTION FOR A VIOLATION OF STATE FISH, GAME, WILDLIFE, OR NATURAL RESOURCES LAWS, PHOTOGRAPHS OF EITHER WILDLIFE OR FISH ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN, POSSESSED, SOLD, TRANSPORTED, OR IMPORTED ILLEGALLY ARE CONSIDERED COMPETENT EVIDENCE OF THE WILDLIFE OR FISH AND ARE ADMISSIBLE IF PROPERLY AUTHENTICATED IN ANY PROCEEDING OF THE CASE TO THE SAME EXTENT AS IF THE WILDLIFE OR FISH HAD BEEN INTRODUCED AS EVIDENCE.

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

Photographs admissible as evidence

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-1-285. In any prosecution for a violation of state fish, game, wildlife, or natural resources laws, photographs of either wildlife or fish alleged to have been taken, possessed, sold, transported, or imported illegally are considered competent evidence of the wildlife or fish and are admissible if properly authenticated in any proceeding of the case to the same extent as if the wildlife or fish had been introduced as evidence. The photographer shall affix his signature and the date to the back of each photograph for identification purposes. When the photograph is so identified, is authenticated, and is admitted, it shall constitute substantive evidence."

Time effective

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

Approved the 21st day of May, 1997.