South Carolina General Assembly
117th Session, 2007-2008

Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format

A250, R305, S996

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Ceips, Grooms and Cleary
Document Path: l:\s-res\ccc\004ferr.kmm.doc

Introduced in the Senate on January 16, 2008
Introduced in the House on April 15, 2008
Last Amended on May 22, 2008
Passed by the General Assembly on May 27, 2008
Governor's Action: June 4, 2008, Signed

Summary: Ferries

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1/16/2008  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-12
   1/16/2008  Senate  Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-12
    4/8/2008  Senate  Committee report: Favorable with amendment 
                        Transportation SJ-6
    4/9/2008          Scrivener's error corrected
    4/9/2008  Senate  Committee Amendment Adopted SJ-98
    4/9/2008  Senate  Read second time SJ-98
   4/10/2008  Senate  Read third time and sent to House SJ-32
   4/10/2008          Scrivener's error corrected
   4/15/2008  House   Introduced and read first time HJ-21
   4/15/2008  House   Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works HJ-22
   5/15/2008  House   Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education and 
                        Public Works HJ-13
   5/16/2008          Scrivener's error corrected
   5/22/2008  House   Amended HJ-60
   5/22/2008  House   Read second time HJ-71
   5/22/2008  House   Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative 
                        day HJ-71
   5/23/2008  House   Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments 
                        HJ-1
   5/27/2008  Senate  Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-33
   5/29/2008          Ratified R 305
    6/4/2008          Signed By Governor
   6/10/2008          Copies available
   6/10/2008          Effective date 06/04/08
   6/13/2008          Act No. 250

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

1/16/2008
4/8/2008
4/9/2008
4/9/2008-A
4/10/2008
5/15/2008
5/16/2008
5/22/2008


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

(A250, R305, S996)

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 15 OF TITLE 57, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF FERRIES, SO AS TO DELETE THE PROVISIONS THAT ALLOW A COUNTY TO GRANT CHARTERS FOR FERRIES AND ALL PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE CHARTERING AND OPERATION OF FERRIES BY A COUNTY, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAY PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, AND SUPERVISION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC FERRIES, TO PROVIDE THAT COUNTIES MAY PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, AND SUPERVISION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC FERRIES, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND COUNTIES MAY ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES TO FINANCE, ACQUIRE, CONSTRUCT, EQUIP, MAINTAIN, OR OPERATE PRIVATE FERRIES, TO PROVIDE THAT PRIVATE CITIZENS, AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES MAY ASSIST A FERRY OPERATOR IN DEFRAYING THE OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES OF A FERRY, TO PROVIDE THAT ON JULY 1, 2009, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO OPERATE ITS FERRY IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY AND MAY TRANSFER ITS FERRY VESSEL TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

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

Establishment, operation, and maintenance of ferries

SECTION    1.    Chapter 15, Title 57 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"CHAPTER 15

Provisions Affecting Ferries Only

Section 57-15-10.    (A)    The Department of Transportation may provide for the establishment, operation, maintenance, and supervision of public ferries connecting parts of the state highway system.

(B)    The governing body of a county may provide for the establishment, operation, maintenance, and supervision of public ferries connecting parts of public roads located within the county that are not under the control of the department.

(C)    Where the boundary line between adjoining counties runs though a river or other body of water, the governing bodies of the counties may enter into an agreement providing for the establishment, operation, maintenance, and supervision of public ferries connecting state roads in the counties that are not under control of the department.

(D)    The department, or a county governing body, may acquire, own, lease, charter, or otherwise control all vessels, boats, terminals, or other facilities required for the proper operation of ferries established and operated pursuant to this section.

Section 57-15-20.    The department and county governing bodies may enter into agreements with private entities to finance, acquire, construct, equip, maintain, or operate public ferries, in whole or in part, in this State.

Section 57-15-30.    Contributions from private citizens or public or private entities may be made to defray the operational or maintenance expenses of a ferry operated or maintained pursuant to this chapter. Contributors are immune from civil or criminal liability for damages resulting from acts or omissions of the ferry operator.

Section 57-15-140.    (A)    The Department of Transportation shall take over, maintain, and operate the ferry across the intracoastal waterway which traverses State Highway No. 716 which extends from a point on U. S. Highway No. 17, south of Georgetown, in a southeasterly direction, to Winyah Bay, such ferry and its approaches to form a part of State Highway No. 716 in Georgetown County. The provisions of Article 13 of Chapter 5 of this title shall not apply to the operation, repair, or maintenance of any such ferry.

Contributions from private citizens or public or private agencies may be made with respect to defraying the operational or maintenance expenses of such ferry; provided, however, that any such contribution shall in no wise render legally liable or responsible any of the contributors.

(B)    This section is repealed effective July 1, 2009.

(C)    As of the date of repeal, the Department of Transportation will be free of any further obligation to operate the ferry required by this section and it may transfer the ferry vessel free of charge to the Department of Natural Resources for its use or disposition."

Time effective

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

Ratified the 29th day of May, 2008.

Approved the 4th day of June, 2008.

__________


This web page was last updated on Monday, October 10, 2011 at 1:30 P.M.