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A6, R30, H3121

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. J.E. Smith, E.H. Pitts, T.R. Young, Hutto, M.A. Pitts, Allison and Parker
Document Path: l:\council\bills\gjk\20015sd09.docx

Introduced in the House on January 13, 2009
Introduced in the Senate on March 3, 2009
Last Amended on February 26, 2009
Passed by the General Assembly on April 22, 2009
Governor's Action: May 6, 2009, Signed

Summary: Turtles

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12/16/2008  House   Prefiled
  12/16/2008  House   Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources 
                        and Environmental Affairs
   1/13/2009  House   Introduced and read first time HJ-56
   1/13/2009  House   Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources 
                        and Environmental Affairs HJ-56
   1/27/2009  House   Member(s) request name added as sponsor: T.R.Young
    2/3/2009  House   Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hutto
   2/19/2009  House   Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.A.Pitts
   2/19/2009  House   Committee report: Favorable with amendment Agriculture, 
                        Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-2
   2/24/2009  House   Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Allison, Parker
   2/26/2009  House   Debate adjourned HJ-119
   2/26/2009  House   Amended HJ-144
   2/26/2009  House   Read second time HJ-146
   2/26/2009  House   Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative 
                        day HJ-146
   2/27/2009  House   Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-2
    3/3/2009  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-11
    3/3/2009  Senate  Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-11
    4/1/2009  Senate  Committee report: Favorable with amendment Fish, Game 
                        and Forestry SJ-15
    4/2/2009  Senate  Committee Amendment Adopted SJ-12
    4/2/2009  Senate  Read second time SJ-12
    4/6/2009          Scrivener's error corrected
   4/14/2009  Senate  Read third time and returned to House with amendments 
                        SJ-36
   4/22/2009  House   Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-50
   4/22/2009  House   Roll call Yeas-95  Nays-0 HJ-50
   4/30/2009          Ratified R 30
    5/6/2009          Signed By Governor
   5/15/2009          Effective date 05/06/09
   5/19/2009          Act No. 6

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/16/2008
2/19/2009
2/26/2009
4/1/2009
4/2/2009
4/6/2009

(A6, R30, H3121)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-15-75 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON OR A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS TRAVELING IN ONE VEHICLE TO REMOVE, OR ATTEMPT TO REMOVE, FROM THIS STATE MORE THAN A SPECIFIED NUMBER OF CERTAIN NAMED SPECIES OF TURTLES, TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.

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

Removal of turtle species unlawful

SECTION    1.    Chapter 15, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-15-75.        (A)    It is unlawful for a person, or a group of individuals traveling in one vehicle, to remove, or attempt to remove from this State more than ten, either in one species or a combination of species, of the named species of turtles at one time with a maximum of twenty turtles of these species, either individually or in combination in any one year: yellowbelly turtle (Trachemys scripta), Florida cooter (Pseudemys floridana), river cooter (Pseudemys concinna), chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia), eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina), eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta), spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera), Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox), and common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina).

(B)    The provisions of this section do not prohibit the sale, offer for sale, or purchase of the yellowbelly turtle (Trachemys scripta) species and the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) species if these turtles were taken from a permitted aquaculture facility or a private pond pursuant to a permit issued by the department at the request of the owner or owner's agent. Any person transporting more than ten yellowbelly turtle (Trachemys scripta) species or common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) species must be in possession of a permit pursuant to which the turtles were taken or acquired and, upon request, must provide it to authorized agents of the department. A person selling, offering to sell, or purchasing these species must have documentation from the aquaculture facility as to the origin of the turtles. The department may charge twenty-five dollars for a permit.

(C)    A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of up to two hundred dollars or up to thirty days in jail, or both. A violator also must have his permit permanently revoked and may never be issued another one. Each turtle removed or in possession of a person attempting to remove them is a separate violation of this section."

Time effective

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

Ratified the 30th day of April, 2009.

Approved the 6th day of May, 2009.

This web page was last updated on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 2:12 P.M.