South Carolina General Assembly
112th Session, 1997-1998

Bill 4886


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    4886
Ratification Number:            485
Act Number:                     347
Type of Legislation:            General Bill GB
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19980325
Primary Sponsor:                Sharpe
All Sponsors:                   Sharpe and Witherspoon 
Drafted Document Number:        gjk\21397sd.98
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19980603
Date of Last Amendment:         19980602
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      19980608
Subject:                        Crossbows may be used to hunt game
                                by certain handicapped persons, not bow
                                and arrow or archery; Fish and
                                Game

History


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

------  19980617  Act No. A347
------  19980608  Signed by Governor
------  19980604  Ratified R485
Senate  19980603  Concurred in House amendment,
                  enrolled for ratification
House   19980602  Senate amendments amended,
                  returned to Senate with amendment
Senate  19980526  Read third time, returned to House
                  with amendment
Senate  19980513  Read second time
Senate  19980513  Committee amendment adopted
Senate  19980512  Committee report: Favorable with         07 SFGF
                  amendment
Senate  19980423  Introduced, read first time,             07 SFGF
                  referred to Committee
House   19980422  Read third time, sent to Senate
House   19980421  Amended, read second time
House   19980415  Committee report: Favorable with         20 HANR
                  amendment
House   19980325  Introduced, read first time,             20 HANR
                  referred to Committee


View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


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

(A347, R485, H4886)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-11-565 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH CROSSBOWS MAY BE USED BY CERTAIN PERSONS IN THE HUNTING AND TAKING OF GAME.

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

Use of crossbows

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

Section 50-11-565. (A) As used in this section:

(1) 'Archery equipment' and 'bow and arrow' mean either a longbow, recurve bow, or compound bow that propels an arrow by means of limbs and a string, that is hand-held, hand-drawn, and held in a drawn position by hand or hand-held release mechanism and that has no mechanical device to enable the shooter to lock or prop the bow at full or partial draw. Other than energy stored by the drawn bow, no device to propel the arrow is permitted.

(2) 'Crossbow' means a device for propelling an arrow or bolt by means of a bow or other limbs affixed transversely to a stock which utilizes a nonhand-held locking mechanism to maintain the device in a drawn, partially drawn, or ready to fire condition. A crossbow is not archery equipment or a bow and arrow.

(3) 'Upper limb disability' means an impairment certified by a licensed neurologist or orthopedist which prevents a person from holding the mass weight of archery equipment or a bow and arrow at arms length perpendicular to the body, or drawing or pulling the string of archery equipment or a bow and arrow of a minimum draw weight of forty pounds.

(B) Crossbows are legal for use statewide during any open season for deer, turkey, or bear by a person who suffers from an upper limb disability, provided the person, while hunting, has in immediate possession a written statement certifying the disability. The statement, based on a physical examination by the certifying neurologist or orthopedist, shall describe the disability and shall state the person is not capable of operating archery equipment or a bow and arrow. A copy of the statement must be provided to the department prior to hunting with a crossbow.

(C) Except as provided in subsection (B), the use of crossbows during any open season for wild turkeys is unlawful and the use of crossbows during any archery equipment or bow and arrow only season is also unlawful. The use of a crossbow on private property statewide during the firearms or muzzleloader season for deer and bear is not prohibited.

Time effective

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

Approved the 8th day of June, 1998.