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A169, R122, S710

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Reese
Document Path: l:\council\bills\nbd\11765ac03.doc
Companion/Similar bill(s): 138, 292

Introduced in the Senate on May 21, 2003
Introduced in the House on May 27, 2003
Passed by the General Assembly on May 29, 2003
Became law without Governor's signature, January 16, 2004

Summary: Spartanburg County, Lake Blalock, watercraft horsepower limits

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   5/21/2003  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-3
   5/21/2003  Senate  Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-3
   5/21/2003  Senate  Recalled from Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry SJ-3
   5/21/2003  Senate  Unanimous consent for second reading on next legislative 
                        day SJ-3
   5/22/2003  Senate  Read second time SJ-25
   5/22/2003  Senate  Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative 
                        day
   5/23/2003  Senate  Read third time and sent to House SJ-8
   5/27/2003  House   Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar without 
                        reference HJ-6
   5/28/2003  House   Read second time HJ-21
   5/29/2003  House   Read third time and enrolled HJ-15
    6/3/2003          Ratified R 122
   1/16/2004          Became law without Governor's signature
   1/22/2004          Copies available
   1/22/2004          Effective date 01/16/04
   2/20/2004          Act No. 169

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

5/21/2003
5/21/2003-A
5/27/2003

(A169, R122, S710)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-25-1330, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO WATERCRAFT RESTRICTIONS ON LAKE H. TAYLOR BLALOCK, SO AS TO INCREASE THE HORSEPOWER OF AN ENGINE FROM FIFTEEN HORSEPOWER TO THIRTY HORSEPOWER AND TO ESTABLISH A MAXIMUM LENGTH FOR WATERCRAFT OF TWENTY-FIVE FEET AND TO INCREASE THE LENGTH FOR PONTOON BOATS TO TWENTY-FIVE FEET; TO PROHIBIT ON LAKE BLALOCK THE OPERATION OF PERSONAL WATERCRAFT, OPERATION OF WATERCRAFT AFTER MIDNIGHT OR IN VIOLATION OF COAST GUARD REGULATIONS, AND OPERATION OF WATERCRAFT NEAR PUMP STATIONS AND PIERS; TO LIMIT THE HEIGHT OF SAILBOAT MASTS; TO PROHIBIT SWIMMING IN CERTAIN AREAS; AND TO AUTHORIZE LAKE WARDENS TO RESTRICT ACCESS TO THE LAKE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

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

Lake Blalock activities regulated

SECTION    1.    Section 50-25-1330 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:

"Section 50-25-1330.    (A)    Watercraft may not operate on Lake H. Taylor Blalock with an engine greater than thirty horsepower or greater than twenty-five feet in length, and in the case of a pontoon boat, the engine may not be greater than forty horsepower or greater than twenty-five feet in length, unless:

(1)    the gas line has been disconnected and the engine or prop is trimmed out of water; and

(2)    an electric trolling motor or engine of thirty horsepower or less is mounted.

(B)    It is unlawful on Lake H. Taylor Blalock to:

(1)    operate personal watercraft, including jet skies;

(2)    operate watercraft between midnight and one hour before sunrise;

(3)    operate watercraft with an outboard motor having horsepower in excess of the United States Coast Guard rating for the watercraft or with the Coast Guard rating plate missing or changed;

(4)    operate watercraft of any type within five hundred feet of any pump station, water intake of a dam, or spillways, and these restricted areas must be clearly marked with signs designed and installed by the Spartanburg Water System;

(5)    operate watercraft or anchor within one hundred fifty feet of public fishing piers;

(6)    operate sailing craft with a mast height in excess of thirty feet;

(7)    wade, bathe, or swim within two hundred feet of any public landing, bridge, or restricted area, and these restricted areas must be clearly marked with signs designed and installed by the Spartanburg Water System.

(C)    The lake wardens may limit entrance of watercraft onto the lake via the public landings when conditions including, but not limited to, overcrowding or adverse weather create an unsafe boating environment."

Time effective

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

Ratified the 3rd day of June, 2003.

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 1/16/04.

This web page was last updated on Monday, December 7, 2009 at 10:19 A.M.