South Carolina General Assembly
105th Session, 1983-1984

Bill 2028

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2028
Ratification Number:       22
Act Number                 10
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Importation of Water Hyacinth and Hydrilla
                           prohibited
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A10, R22, H2028)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OS SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-13-1415 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE IMPORTATION, POSSESSION, OR PLACING IN THE WATERS OF THIS STATE OF WATER HYACINTH AND HYDRILLA EXCEPT WHEN SPECIAL PERMITS ARE ISSUED ALLOWING THEIR USE FOR RESEARCH.

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

Importation of Water Hyacinth and Hydrilla prohibited

Section 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-13-1415. No person shall possess, sell, offer for sale, import, bring, or cause to be brought or imported into this State, or release or place into any waters of this State any of the following plants:

(1) Water Hyacinth

(2) Hydrilla

Provided, however, that the Wildlife and Marine Resources Department may issue special import permits to qualified persons for research purposes only.

The Department shall prescribe the methods, controls, and restrictions which are to be adhered to by any person or his agent to whom a special permit under the provisions of this section is issued. The Department is authorized to promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section and the Department, by regulation, is specifically authorized to prohibit additional species of plants from being imported, possessed, or sold in this State when, in the discretion of the Department, such species of plants are potentially dangerous."

Time effective

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