South Carolina General Assembly
116th Session, 2005-2006

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Bill 229

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


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

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

COMMITTEE REPORT

May 17, 2006

S. 229

Introduced by Senator Grooms

S. Printed 5/17/06--H.    [SEC 5/19/06 2:13 PM]

Read the first time March 22, 2006.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 229) to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section 16-17-655 so as to create the offense of engaging in a hog-dog fighting event, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:

/ SECTION    1.    Section 16-17-650 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 16-17-650.    (A)    It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to engage in or be present at cockfighting in this State and any person found guilty shall be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not exceeding thirty days A person who engages in or is present at cockfighting or game fowl fighting or testing is guilty of a:

(1)    misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one year for a first offense;

(2)    misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than three thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than three years for a second offense; or

(3)    felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years for a third or subsequent offense.

(B)    For purposes of this section, 'testing' means, allowing game fowl to engage in physical combat:

(1)    with or without spurs or other artificial items, while in the presence of more than two persons;

(2)    under any circumstances while employing spurs or other artificial items or with the injection or application of a chemical substance; or

(3)    for purposes of wagering or gambling.

(C)    A person who violates the provisions of subsection (A)(3) is subject to the forfeiture of monies, negotiable instruments, and securities specifically gained or used to engage in or further a violation of this section pursuant to Section 16-27-55."

SECTION    2.    Section 16-27-50 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 16-27-50. Whenever an indictment is returned charging a violation of any provision of this chapter, or if an indictment is waived, the court shall order the animal or animals involved seized and held until final disposition of the charges and shall provide for the appropriate and humane care or disposition of the animal or animals. The provisions of this section may not be construed as a limitation on the authority under law to seize any animal as evidence at the time of the arrest. If any animal seized pursuant to the provision of this section or otherwise seized in accordance with law is unable to survive humanely the final disposition of the charges, in the opinion of the court, the court may order the termination of the animal's life. Upon the conviction of the person charged, or upon a plea of guilty or of nolo contendere, any animal involved, whose life has not been terminated, becomes the property of the State and the court shall order a humane disposition of the animal.    (A)    The provisions of Section 47-1-150 apply to this chapter.

(B)    For purposes of a hearing to determine whether the owner is able to provide adequately for the animal and is fit to have custody of the animal, any animal found to be owned, trained, possessed, purchased, sold, transported, or bred in violation of this chapter must be considered cruelly treated and the owner must be deemed unfit."

SECTION    3.    Chapter 27, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 16-27-55.    (A)    A person who violates a provision of this chapter is subject to forfeiture of:

(1)    property, both real and personal, which is knowingly used to engage in a violation or to further a violation of this chapter; and

(2)    monies, negotiable instruments, securities, or other things of value furnished or intended to be furnished by a person to engage in or further a violation of this chapter.

(B)    Property subject to forfeiture pursuant to the provisions of this chapter may be seized by the appropriate law enforcement agency with a warrant properly issued by a court with jurisdiction over the property. Property may be seized without a warrant if the:

(1)    seizure is incident to an arrest or a search with a search warrant or an inspection under an administrative inspection warrant;

(2)    property subject to seizure was the subject of a prior judgment in favor of the State in a criminal injunction or forfeiture proceeding pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;

(3)    law enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that the property is directly or indirectly dangerous to health or safety; or

(4)    law enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that the property was used or is intended to be used in violation of the provisions of this chapter.

(C)    Forfeiture proceedings instituted pursuant to the provisions of this section are subject to the procedures and requirements for forfeiture as set out in Section 44-53-530.

(D)    Property taken or detained pursuant to the provisions of this section is not subject to replevin but is considered to be in the custody of the law enforcement agency making the seizure subject only to an order of the court having jurisdiction over the forfeiture proceedings.

(E)    For purposes of this section, when the seizure of property subject to forfeiture is accomplished as a result of a joint effort by more than one law enforcement agency, the law enforcement agency initiating the investigation is considered to be the agency making the seizure.

(F)    A law enforcement agency seizing property pursuant to the provisions of this section shall take reasonable steps to maintain the property. Equipment and conveyances seized must be removed to an appropriate place for storage. Monies seized must be deposited in an interest bearing account pending final disposition by the court unless the seizing agency determines the monies to be of an evidential nature and provides for appropriate security in another manner.

(G)    When property, monies, negotiable instruments, securities, or other things of value are seized pursuant to the provisions of subsection (A), the law enforcement agency making the seizure, within ten days or a reasonable period of time after the seizure, shall submit a report to the appropriate prosecuting agency.

(1)    The report must include the following information:

(a)    a description of the property seized;

(b)    the circumstances of the seizure;

(c)    the present custodian and where the property is being stored or its location;

(d)    the name of the owner of the property;

(e)    the name of any lienholders of the property; and

(f)    the seizing agency.

(2)    If the property is a conveyance, the report must include the:

(a)    make, model, serial number, and year of the conveyance;

(b)    person in whose name the conveyance is registered; and

(c)    name of any lienholders.

(3)    In addition to the report provided for in items (1) and (2) of this subsection, the appropriate law enforcement agency shall prepare for dissemination to the public, upon request, a report providing the following information:

(a)    a description of the quantity and nature of the property and money seized;

(b)    the seizing agency;

(c)    the make, model, and year of a conveyance; and

(d)    the law enforcement agency responsible for the property or conveyance seized.

(H)    Property or conveyances seized by a law enforcement agency may not be used by officers or employees of the agency for personal purposes.

(I)(1)    An innocent owner or a manager or owner of a licensed rental agency or a common carrier or carrier of goods for hire may apply to the court of common pleas for the return of an item seized pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Notice of hearing or rule to show cause accompanied by copy of the application must be directed to all persons and agencies entitled to notice as provided in Section 44-53-530. If the court denies the application, the hearing may proceed as a forfeiture hearing held pursuant to the provisions of Section 44-53-530.

(2)    The court may return a seized item to the owner if the owner demonstrates to the court by a preponderance of the evidence:

(a)    in the case of an innocent owner, that the person or entity was not a consenting party to, or privy to, or did not have knowledge of, the use of the property which made it subject to seizure and forfeiture; or

(b)    in the case of a manager or an owner of a licensed rental agency, a common carrier, or a carrier of goods for hire, that an agent, servant, or employee of the rental agency or of the common carrier or carrier of goods for hire was not a party to, or privy to, or did not have knowledge of, the use of the property which made it subject to seizure and forfeiture.

(3)    If the licensed rental agency demonstrates to the court that it has rented the seized property in the ordinary course of its business and that the tenant or tenants were not related within the third degree of kinship to the manager or owner, or any agents, servants, or employees of the rental agency, then it is presumed that the licensed rental agency was not a party to, or privy to, or did not have knowledge of, the use of the property which made it subject to seizure and forfeiture.

(4)    The lien of an innocent person or other legal entity, recorded in public records, continues in force upon transfer of title of a forfeited item, and a transfer of title is subject to the lien, if the lienholder demonstrates to the court by a preponderance of the evidence that he was not a consenting party to, or privy to, or did not have knowledge of, the involvement of the property which made it subject to seizure and forfeiture."

SECTION    4.    Section 16-27-80 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 16-27-80.    (A)    This chapter shall does not apply to dogs used for the purpose of hunting, including, but not limited to, hunting on shooting preserves or wildlife management areas authorized pursuant to Title 50, or for to dogs used in field trials, including events in more commonly known as 'water races', 'treeing contests', 'coon on a log', 'bear baying', or 'fox pen trials'. Such 'fox pen trials' must be approved by permit for field trials by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

(B)    Except as otherwise provided in Section 16-27-60, this chapter applies to events more commonly known as 'hog-dog fights', 'hog-dog rodeos', or 'hog-dogging' in which bets are placed, or cash, points, titles, trophies, or other awards are given based primarily on the ability of a dog to catch a hog using physical contact in the controlled environment of an enclosure."

SECTION    5.    Section 44-53-530(a) of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a new undesignated paragraph at the end to read:

"( )    If a defendant or his attorney sends written notice to the petitioner or the seizing agency of his interest in the subject property, service may be made by mailing a copy of the petition to the address provided and service may not be made by publication. In addition, service by publication may not be used for a person incarcerated in a South Carolina Department of Corrections facility, a county detention facility, or other facility where inmates are housed for the county where the seizing agency is located. The seizing agency shall check the appropriate institutions after receiving an affidavit of non-service before attempting service by publication."

SECTION    6.    The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.

SECTION    7.    If any section, subsection, item, subitem, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act, and each and every section, subsection, item, subitem, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, items, subitems, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.

SECTION    8.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. /

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

JAMES H. HARRISON for Committee.

            

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 16-17-655 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF ENGAGING IN A HOG-DOG FIGHTING EVENT OR A HOG-DOG RODEO, TO DEFINE THE TERMS "HOG-DOG FIGHTING EVENT" AND "HOG-DOG RODEO", AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 16-27-50 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 16-27-50. Whenever an indictment is returned charging a violation of any provision of this chapter, or if an indictment is waived, the court shall order the animal or animals involved seized and held until final disposition of the charges and shall provide for the appropriate and humane care or disposition of the animal or animals. The provisions of this section may not be construed as a limitation on the authority under law to seize any animal as evidence at the time of the arrest. If any animal seized pursuant to the provision of this section or otherwise seized in accordance with law is unable to survive humanely the final disposition of the charges, in the opinion of the court, the court may order the termination of the animal's life. Upon the conviction of the person charged, or upon a plea of guilty or of nolo contendere, any animal involved, whose life has not been terminated, becomes the property of the State and the court shall order a humane disposition of the animal.    (A)    The provisions of Section 47-1-150 apply to this chapter.

(B)    For purposes of a hearing to determine whether the owner is able to provide adequately for the animal and is fit to have custody of the animal, any animal found to be owned, trained, possessed, purchased, sold, transported, or bred in violation of this chapter must be considered cruelly treated and the owner must be deemed unfit."

SECTION    2.    Chapter 27, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 16-27-55.    (A)    A person who violates a provision of this chapter is subject to forfeiture of:

(1)    property, both real and personal, which is knowingly used to engage in a violation or to further a violation of this chapter; and

(2)    monies, negotiable instruments, securities, or other things of value furnished or intended to be furnished by a person to engage in or further a violation of this chapter.

(B)    Property subject to forfeiture pursuant to the provisions of this chapter may be seized by the appropriate law enforcement agency with a warrant properly issued by a court with jurisdiction over the property. Property may be seized without a warrant if the:

(1)    seizure is incident to an arrest or a search with a search warrant or an inspection under an administrative inspection warrant;

(2)    property subject to seizure was the subject of a prior judgment in favor of the State in a criminal injunction or forfeiture proceeding pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;

(3)    law enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that the property is directly or indirectly dangerous to health or safety; or

(4)    law enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that the property was used or is intended to be used in violation of the provisions of this chapter.

(C)    Forfeiture proceedings instituted pursuant to the provisions of this section are subject to the procedures and requirements for forfeiture as set out in Section 44-53-530.

(D)    Property taken or detained pursuant to the provisions of this section is not subject to replevin but is considered to be in the custody of the law enforcement agency making the seizure subject only to an order of the court having jurisdiction over the forfeiture proceedings.

(E)    For purposes of this section, when the seizure of property subject to forfeiture is accomplished as a result of a joint effort by more than one law enforcement agency, the law enforcement agency initiating the investigation is considered to be the agency making the seizure.

(F)    A law enforcement agency seizing property pursuant to the provisions of this section shall take reasonable steps to maintain the property. Equipment and conveyances seized must be removed to an appropriate place for storage. Monies seized must be deposited in an interest bearing account pending final disposition by the court unless the seizing agency determines the monies to be of an evidential nature and provides for appropriate security in another manner.

(G)    When property, monies, negotiable instruments, securities, or other things of value are seized pursuant to the provisions of subsection (A), the law enforcement agency making the seizure, within ten days or a reasonable period of time after the seizure, shall submit a report to the appropriate prosecuting agency.

(1)    The report must include the following information:

(a)    a description of the property seized;

(b)    the circumstances of the seizure;

(c)    the present custodian and where the property is being stored or its location;

(d)    the name of the owner of the property;

(e)    the name of any lienholders of the property; and

(f)    the seizing agency.

(2)    If the property is a conveyance, the report must include the:

(a)    make, model, serial number, and year of the conveyance;

(b)    person in whose name the conveyance is registered; and

(c)    name of any lienholders.

(3)    In addition to the report provided for in items (1) and (2) of this subsection, the appropriate law enforcement agency shall prepare for dissemination to the public, upon request, a report providing the following information:

(a)    a description of the quantity and nature of the property and money seized;

(b)    the seizing agency;

(c)    the make, model, and year of a conveyance; and

(d)    the law enforcement agency responsible for the property or conveyance seized.

(H)    Property or conveyances seized by a law enforcement agency may not be used by officers or employees of the agency for personal purposes.

(I)(1)    An innocent owner or a manager or owner of a licensed rental agency or a common carrier or carrier of goods for hire may apply to the court of common pleas for the return of an item seized pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Notice of hearing or rule to show cause accompanied by copy of the application must be directed to all persons and agencies entitled to notice as provided in Section 44-53-530. If the court denies the application, the hearing may proceed as a forfeiture hearing held pursuant to the provisions of Section 44-53-530.

(2)    The court may return a seized item to the owner if the owner demonstrates to the court by a preponderance of the evidence:

(a)    in the case of an innocent owner, that the person or entity was not a consenting party to, or privy to, or did not have knowledge of, the use of the property which made it subject to seizure and forfeiture; or

(b)    in the case of a manager or an owner of a licensed rental agency, a common carrier, or a carrier of goods for hire, that an agent, servant, or employee of the rental agency or of the common carrier or carrier of goods for hire was not a party to, or privy to, or did not have knowledge of, the use of the property which made it subject to seizure and forfeiture.

(3)    If the licensed rental agency demonstrates to the court that it has rented the seized property in the ordinary course of its business and that the tenant or tenants were not related within the third degree of kinship to the manager or owner, or any agents, servants, or employees of the rental agency, then it is presumed that the licensed rental agency was not a party to, or privy to, or did not have knowledge of, the use of the property which made it subject to seizure and forfeiture.

(4)    The lien of an innocent person or other legal entity, recorded in public records, continues in force upon transfer of title of a forfeited item, and a transfer of title is subject to the lien, if the lienholder demonstrates to the court by a preponderance of the evidence that he was not a consenting party to, or privy to, or did not have knowledge of, the involvement of the property which made it subject to seizure and forfeiture."

SECTION    3.    Section 16-27-80 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 16-27-80.    (A)    This chapter shall not apply to dogs used for the purpose of hunting or for dogs used in field trials in more commonly known as 'water races', 'treeing contests', 'coon on a log', 'bear baying', or 'fox pen trials'. Such 'fox pen trials' must be approved by permit for field trials by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

(B)    This chapter shall apply to events more commonly known as 'hog-dog fights', 'hog-dog rodeos', or 'hog-dogging' in which bets are placed, or cash, points, titles, trophies, or other awards are given based primarily on the ability of a dog to catch a hog using physical contact in the controlled environment of an enclosure."

SECTION    4.    The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.

SECTION    5.    If any section, subsection, item, subitem, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act, and each and every section, subsection, item, subitem, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, items, subitems, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.

SECTION    6.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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