Reference is to Printer's Date 4/10/14-H.
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:
/SECTION 1. Article 3, Chapter 11, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 50-11-525. The department may promulgate regulations for wildlife management areas, heritage trust lands, and other properties owned or leased by the department to establish seasons, dates, areas, bag limits, and other restrictions for hunting and taking wild turkey."
SECTION 2. Article 3, Chapter 11, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 50-11-580.
(A) Notwithstanding the
provisions of Section 50-11-520 or any other provision of law or
regulation, the season for hunting and taking a male wild turkey
is March 20 through May 5.
(B) The Saturday
preceding March 20 of each year is declared to be 'South
Carolina Youth Turkey Hunting Day'. A person less than eighteen
years of age may be considered to be a youth hunter. The
license and permit requirements for hunting turkey are waived
for youth during this day, however, the youth must possess a set
of turkey tags when hunting turkey. A licensed hunter at least
twenty-one years of age must accompany a youth hunter in the
field and may not harvest or attempt to harvest turkey during
this special hunting day, but is permitted to call turkeys for
the youth. The licensed hunter that accompanies the youth must
have all licenses, permits, and tags required to hunt
turkey.
(C) The season bag
limit per person for male wild turkeys is three which may be
taken with archery equipment or any lawful firearm and
ammunition. An individual also may obtain an archery only
turkey tag allowing them to take one additional male wild turkey
during the open season by means of archery equipment only. The
bag limits contained in this section are statewide unless
otherwise specified by regulation.
(D) Within one hundred
eighty days of the conclusion of the third turkey season
following the effective date of this law, the department must
conduct an analysis of the wild turkey resources in South
Carolina and draft a report recommending any changes to the wild
turkey season and bag limits. This report must be provided to
the General Assembly.
(E) The department must
provide an annual report of the wild turkey resources in South
Carolina to the chairman of the Senate Fish, Game and Forestry
Committee, and the chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural
Resources Committee."
SECTION 3. Section 50-11-530 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 50-11-530.
The department may, at its discretion, prescribe
methods by which turkeys may be taken in each game zone and may
fix the specific areas of the zones in which turkeys have become
numerous enough to be harvested. The department may designate
the sex of the turkeys that may be taken and may prescribe any
other promulgate emergency regulations
considered necessary and expedient for the proper control of the
harvesting of wild turkeys in the game
zones."
SECTION 4. Section 50-11-540 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 50-11-540.
Any person taking, attempting to take, or having in his
possession turkey illegally or taking, attempting to take, or
killing turkey in any way not prescribed by the department is
guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not
less than fifty dollars nor more than one
five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than
thirty days. In addition, a person taking a wild turkey
unlawfully must be required to make restitution to the
department in the amount of up to five hundred dollars
for each bird taken. In addition, a person convicted of taking a
wild turkey illegally forfeits hunting and fishing privileges
for one year for each bird taken."
SECTION 5. Section 50-11-544 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 50-11-544. A person who hunts wild turkeys is required to possess a set of wild turkey transportation tags issued by the department at no cost. All turkeys taken must be tagged before being moved from the point of kill. All tags must be validated as prescribed by the department before a turkey is moved from the point of kill. No person may obtain or possess more than one set of turkey tags."
SECTION 6. The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.
SECTION 7. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. Provided, upon the effective date of this act until November 7, 2017, the provisions of Section 50-11-520 are suspended. On November 7, 2017, the turkey hunting seasons and bag limits in effect for the respective counties prior to the effective date of this Act and delineated in Section 50-11-520 are effective, and Section 50-11-580 is repealed. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.