AMENDED

March 5, 2014

H. 4345

S. Printed 3/5/14--H.

Read the first time January 14, 2014.

TO AMEND SECTION 50-9-1120, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE POINT SYSTEM FOR VIOLATIONS RELATING TO HUNTING AND FISHING, SO AS TO REVISE THE POINTS TO BE ASSESSED FOR TRESPASSING TO HUNT OR TRAP AND RAISE THE POINTS FROM TEN TO EIGHTEEN POINTS.

Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION    1.    Section 50-9-1120 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 237 of 2008, is further amended to read:

"Section 50-9-1120.    There is established the following point system for violations of certain provisions of law:

(1)    Common violations:

(a)    resisting arrest by the use of force, violence, or weapons against an employee of the department while engaged in his duties, a law enforcement officer aiding in the work of the department, or a federally commissioned employee engaged in like or similar employment: 18;

(b)    attempting escape after lawful arrest: 14;

(c)    hunting or fishing in a state sanctuary at any time: 14;

(d)    hunting, fishing, or trapping out of season, except in a state sanctuary: 10;

(e)    selling game or game fish: 14;

(f)    taking game or fish in an illegal manner not mentioned specifically elsewhere in this section. However, no points may be assessed pursuant to this subitem for fish taken on the seaward side of the saltwater-freshwater dividing lines as provided in Section 50-17-30: 8;

(g)    using a borrowed or altered hunting or fishing license: 10;

(h)    taking more than the legal limit of game or fish: 8;

(i)        hunting or fishing without a license in possession: 6;

(j)        trespassing to hunt, fish, or trap: 10;

(k)    violating game management area regulations: 8;

(l)        hunting, taking, possessing, or selling alligators in violation of law or department regulations: 14.

(2)    Hunting violations:

(a)    killing or attempting to kill or molest deer from a motorboat: 14;

(b)    night hunting deer or bear: 18;

(c)    illegally transporting furs or hides and possessing untagged hides: 10;

(d)    trapping quail or wild turkeys: 10;

(e)    hunting over bait: 8;

(f)    killing or possessing antlerless deer, except as expressly provided by law: 14;

(g)    illegally night hunting other game, except deer, or hunting game in prohibited hours: 8;

(h)    possessing buckshot illegally: 5;

(i)        possessing unplugged gun while hunting, violation of Section 50-11-10: 4;

1.    killing or possessing a wild turkey during the closed season: 18;

2.    killing or possessing a wild turkey hen during the spring gobbler season: 14;

(j)        roost shooting wild turkeys between official sunset and official sunrise: 18;

(k)    shooting wild turkeys over bait: 18;

(l)        hunting wild turkeys over bait: 10;

(m)(1)    trespassing to hunt waterfowl: 18;

(2)    trespassing to hunt or trap: 14;

(n)    hunting waterfowl over bait: 10;

(o)    shooting waterfowl over bait: 10;

(p)    hunting waterfowl out of posted season: 15;

(q)    taking more than one waterfowl over the legal limit: 15;

(r)    illegally possessing, taking, or attempting to take raccoons during the season for hunting without weapons: 14.

(3)    Fishing violations:

(a)    trapping, netting, or seining game fish illegally: 10;

(b)    taking or possessing more than the legal limit of striped bass: 14;

(c)    taking or possessing an undersized striped bass: 14."

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