S 1270 General Bill, By Drummond
 A Bill to amend Section 48-23-295, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to forestry services available to landowners, state agencies,
 counties, and municipalities, so as to include processing forest tree seed,
 provide for receipts from related activities and rentals to be retained by the
 Forestry Commission instead of deposited in the general fund, and authorize
 the Commission to carry forward unexpended funds.

   02/05/92  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-7
   02/05/92  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-7
   02/27/92  Senate Recalled from Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-5
   02/27/92  Senate Committed to Committee on Finance SJ-5

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 48-23-295, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FORESTRY SERVICES AVAILABLE TO LANDOWNERS, STATE AGENCIES, COUNTIES, AND MUNICIPALITIES, SO AS TO INCLUDE PROCESSING FOREST TREE SEED, PROVIDE FOR RECEIPTS FROM RELATED ACTIVITIES AND RENTALS TO BE RETAINED BY THE FORESTRY COMMISSION INSTEAD OF DEPOSITED IN THE GENERAL FUND, AND AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSION TO CARRY FORWARD UNEXPENDED FUNDS.

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

SECTION 1. Section 48-23-295 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 48-23-295. (A) The State Commission of Forestry may make available forestry services consisting of scientific, technical, and practical services to landowners of the State to assist them in the afforestation, reforestation, and maximum production of their woodland. These services shall consist of specialized equipment and operators or rental of such the equipment to perform labor and services necessary to carry out approved forestry practices, including mechanical and chemical site preparation, processing forest tree seed, forest tree planting, insect and disease control, prescribed burning, firebreak plowing, and other appropriate practices to assist landowners in maximum production of their woodland.

(B) For such the services or rentals, a reasonable fee, representing the commission's estimate of not less than the cost of such the services or rentals shall must be charged. When the State Forester deems considers it in the public interest such the services may be provided without charge to encourage the use of approved scientific forestry practices on private or other forestlands within the State or for the purposes of providing practical demonstrations of such the practices.

(C) Receipts from these activities and rentals shall must be deposited in the General Fund retained by the commission for administration and operation of the forestry services program. The administration of this section shall be is under the State Forester. The landowner shall compensate the commission according to rates established by it. The commission may carry forward unexpended funds under this subsection to be used for these purposes.

(D) The commission may cooperate and offer the same services to counties, municipalities, and state agencies and make the forestry services and rental equipment available to these agencies them. Such Counties, municipalities, and state agencies shall reimburse the commission according to its fee schedule."

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