A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 50-11-546, relating to Electronic harvest reporting, so as to INCLUDE REFERENCES TO BIG GAME SPECIES; and by amending Section 50-9-1120, relating to the Point system for violations, so as to make conforming changes.

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

SECTION 1.Section 50-11-546 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 50-11-546.(A) In order to document the harvest of wild turkeys big game species and to assist with the enforcement of seasons, methods of harvest, and bag limits, the department must implement an electronic harvest reporting system.

(B) A person who harvests a wild turkey big game species must report the harvest to the electronic harvest reporting system as prescribed by the department. A harvest report must be submitted by midnight of the day a wild turkey is taken of harvest unless a person is incapable of accessing the reporting system, in which case a report must be submitted prior to the carcass leaving the person's possession.

(C) Upon completion of the harvest reporting process, a harvest report confirmation number will be provided by the department, which must be recorded by the person submitting the harvest report. Processors receiving big game carcasses must be provided with the confirmation number. The processor must record and maintain the confirmation number until the processed meat is received by the hunter or their designee.

(D) The department must promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this section, including the methods of telephonic and electronic reporting, contents of the report, and recording and maintenance of the harvest report confirmation number.

(E) The department is prohibited from requesting or acquiring the geolocation data of a person submitting a harvest report through electronic means and from requesting a person to self-report location information to the harvest reporting system more specific than the county in which a turkey big game species is harvested. The department may request the Wildlife Management Area of the harvest.

(F) There is no cost to a person for reporting a harvest, and the department may exempt the harvest reporting requirement for persons who harvest wild turkeys big game species under specific conditions or department programs.

(G) Deer taken pursuant to Deer Quota Program permits are exempt from this section.

(H) A person who violates this section or provisions established by the department for electronic harvest reporting is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than twenty-five dollars.

SECTION 2.A.Section 50-9-1120(2)(t) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(t) failing to report the harvest of wild turkey big game as required by Section 50-11-546: 6.

B.This SECTION takes effect on July 1, 2024.

SECTION 3.This act takes effect on July 1, 2023.

----XX----