Bill 2529

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2529
Ratification Number:       193
Act Number                 141
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Sixty-five year old, disabled or legally
                           blind person may use state park
           without charge

(A141, R193, H2529)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 51-3-60, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE USE OF CERTAIN STATE PARK FACILITIES WITHOUT CHARGE BY ELDERLY OR HANDICAPPED PERSONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY SOUTH CAROLINA RESIDENT WHO IS A PERMANENTLY AND TOTALLY DISABLED VETERAN MAY ALSO ENTER ANY STATE PARK WITHOUT CHARGE.

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

Sixty-five year old, disabled or legally blind person may use state park without charge

SECTION 1. Section 51-3-60 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Act 127 of 1979, is further amended by adding at the end:

"Notwithstanding the above provisions of this section, any South Carolina resident who is a veteran and who has been classified by the Veterans Administration as permanently and totally disabled may also enter any state park without charge upon presentation to the person in charge of the park of a certificate from the Veterans Administration certifying the veteran's permanent and total disability."

The section when amended shall read:

"Section 51-3-60. Any South Carolina resident who is over sixty-five years of age or disabled or legally blind as defined in Section 43-25-20 may use any facility of a state park except campsites, overnight lodging and recreation buildings without charge. Such residents may also use campsite facilities at one-half of the prescribed fee. A person exercising this privilege on the basis of age shall present his medicare card or other card approved by the South Carolina Commission on Aging to the employee of the State Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism who is in charge of the particular state park, and a person who is disabled or legally blind shall present to such person in charge of the park a certificate to that effect from a licensed doctor of medicine or an official of an agency authorized by law to make determinations of disability or blindness. The authorization for use of the facilities as provided by this section shall not be effective if it conflicts with any federal law, rule or regulation.

The term 'disabled' as used herein shall mean the inability to perform substantial gainful employment by reason of a medically- determinable impairment, either physical or mental, which has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of twelve months or more.

Notwithstanding the above provisions of this section, any South Carolina resident who is a veteran and who has been classified by the Veterans Administration as permanently and totally disabled may also enter any state park without charge upon presentation to the person in charge of the park of a certificate from the Veterans Administration certifying the veteran's permanent and total disability."

Time effective

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