South Carolina General Assembly
124th Session, 2021-2022

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Indicates New Matter

S. 541

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Campsen and Senn
Document Path: l:\s-res\gec\005loca.kmm.gec.docx

Introduced in the Senate on February 10, 2021
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry

Summary: Watercraft

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/10/2021  Senate  Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 3)
   2/10/2021  Senate  Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry 
                        (Senate Journal-page 3)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/10/2021

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

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 50-21-30 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT LAWS, TO AUTHORIZE A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING A PERMIT FOR WATERCRAFT TO REMAIN ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S TERRITORIAL WATERS FOR MORE THAN FOURTEEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 50-21-30 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

    "Section 50-21-30.    (A)    For the purposes of this section, 'floating structure' means a man-made object other than a watercraft that is capable of flotation and that is not authorized pursuant to a permit issued by an agency of this State.

    (1)(B)    The provisions of Title 50 and other applicable laws of this State shall govern the operation, equipment, titling, numbering, and all other matters relating thereto for watercraft and water devices using used or held for use on the waters of this State; but nothing in this chapter may be construed to prevent the adoption of any ordinance or local law relating to operation and equipment of watercraft; provided, that the ordinances or local laws shall be operative only so long as and to the extent that they are identical to provisions of this chapter, amendments thereto, or regulations issued thereunder. A unit of local government must not adopt an ordinance relating to watercraft or water devices used or held for use on the waters of this State unless the ordinance is:

        (1)    identical to a provision of this chapter;

        (2)    identical to a regulation promulgated under the authority of a provision of this chapter; or

        (3)    authorized pursuant to the provisions of this section.

        (2)    Any subdivision of this State may, at any time, but only after three days' public notice make formal application to the department for special rules and regulations with reference to the operation of vessels on any waters within its territorial limits and shall set forth therein the reasons which make such special rules and regulations necessary or appropriate.

    (C)    A unit of local government may adopt an ordinance requiring a permit for a watercraft or floating structure to remain at anchorage on public waters within its local jurisdiction for more than fourteen consecutive days. A permit required by a unit of local government must not exceed fifteen dollars.

    (3)(D)    The department is hereby authorized to make special rules and regulations with reference to the operation of vessels watercraft on the waters within the territorial limits of this State."

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

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This web page was last updated on March 15, 2021 at 1:44 PM