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TO AMEND CHAPTER 9, TITLE 50 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES, BY ADDING SECTION 50-9-675 TO PROVIDE FOR A PERMIT TO ENGAGE IN FALCONRY IN THIS STATE, THE FEE FOR THE PERMIT, AND THAT A PERSON HOLDING A VALID FEDERAL FALCONRY PERMIT ON JANUARY 1, 2014 MAY ENGAGE IN FALCONRY WITHOUT A SOUTH CAROLINA FALCONER'S PERMIT UNTIL THE FEDERAL PERMIT EXPIRES; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 11, TITLE 50, RELATING TO PROTECTION OF GAME, BY ADDING SECTION 50-11-50 TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION OF FALCONRY AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 9, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 50-9-675. (A) For the privilege of engaging in falconry, in addition to a statewide hunting license, a person must obtain a falconry permit. The fee for the permit is one hundred dollars, and the permit expires three years from the date of its issuance.
(B) A person holding a valid federal falconry permit on January 1, 2014 may engage in falconry without a South Carolina falconer's permit until the federal permit expires."
SECTION 2. Chapter 11, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 50-11-600. (A) Falconry is the hunting of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey or raptor (Order Falconiformes or Order Strigiformes other than bald eagle).
(B) It is unlawful to use birds of prey to take any wildlife except as authorized in this section. Any person convicted of violating this section or regulations promulgated pursuant to this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction must be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned up to thirty days, or both.
(C) The department may promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this section."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on January 14, 2014 at 1:51 PM