South Carolina General Assembly
103rd Session, 1979-1980

Bill 626

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               626
Ratification Number:       412
Act Number                 363
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   Public sports prohibited on sunday,
                           exceptions
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A363, R412, S626)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 53-1-10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION AGAINST PUBLIC SPORTS ON SUNDAYS, SO AS TO EXEMPT FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE SECTION AN ANNUAL HARNESS OR BOAT RACING EVENT SPONSORED BY A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DURING HOURS NOT USUALLY DEVOTED TO RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

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

Public sports prohibited on Sunday, exceptions

Section 1. Section 53-1-10 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 482 of 1976, is further amended to read:

"Section 53-1-10. No public sports or pastimes, such as bear-baiting, bull-baiting, football playing, horse racing, interludes or common plays or other games, exercises, sports or pastimes, such as hunting, shooting, chasing game or fishing, shall be used on Sunday by any person whatsoever. Every person offending in any of the premises shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and be subject to a fine not to exceed fifty dollars or imprisonment not to exceed thirty days; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to the holding of nationally recognized golf tournaments sponsored by nonprofit organizations held at times other than hours of regular church worship; provided, further, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to a steeplechase event held between the hours of one o'clock and six o'clock p. m. that is sanctioned by the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association and held under the auspices of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism; provided, further, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to the conduct of an annual harness or boat racing event sponsored by a nonprofit organization during hours not usually devoted to religious services."

Time effective

Section 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.