South Carolina General Assembly
125th Session, 2023-2024

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A168, R196, S1005

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Kimbrell and Talley
Document Path: SR-0574KM24.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 31, 2024
Introduced in the House on February 29, 2024
Last Amended on May 8, 2024
Currently residing in the Senate
Governor's Action: May 20, 2024, Signed

Summary: Motor Horsepower

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
1/31/2024 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 3)
1/31/2024 Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry (Senate Journal-page 3)
2/2/2024 Scrivener's error corrected
2/21/2024 Senate Committee report: Favorable Fish, Game and Forestry (Senate Journal-page 12)
2/23/2024 Scrivener's error corrected
2/27/2024 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 32)
2/27/2024 Senate Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 32)
2/28/2024 Senate Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 25)
2/29/2024 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 7)
2/29/2024 House Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs (House Journal-page 7)
5/1/2024 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs (House Journal-page 112)
5/2/2024 House Amended (House Journal-page 47)
5/2/2024 House Read second time (House Journal-page 47)
5/2/2024 House Roll call Yeas-92 Nays-3 (House Journal-page 58)
5/2/2024 House Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (House Journal-page 59)
5/3/2024 House Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments (House Journal-page 3)
5/8/2024 Senate House amendment amended (Senate Journal-page 232)
5/8/2024 Senate Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 232)
5/8/2024 Senate Returned to House with amendments (Senate Journal-page 232)
5/9/2024 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (House Journal-page 75)
5/9/2024 House Roll call Yeas-100 Nays-2 (House Journal-page 76)
5/15/2024 Ratified R 196
5/20/2024 Signed By Governor
5/29/2024 Effective date 05/20/24
5/29/2024 Act No. 168

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

01/31/2024
02/02/2024
02/21/2024
02/23/2024
05/01/2024
05/02/2024
05/08/2024


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A168, R196, S1005)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 50-25-1320, RELATING TO MOTOR RESTRICTIONS ON LAKE WILLIAM C. BOWEN, SO AS TO PROHIBIT BOATS, WATERCRAFTS, OR OTHER TYPES OF VESSELS POWERED BY AN OUTDRIVE OR INBOARD MOTOR HAVING AN ENGINE AUTOMOTIVE HORSEPOWER RATING IN EXCESS OF TWO HUNDRED HORSEPOWER AND THAT PERSONAL WATERCRAFT MAY NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED NINETY HORSEPOWER; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 50-25-1350, RELATING TO WATER SKIING AND TOWING RESTRICTIONS ON LAKE WILLIAM C. BOWEN, SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE OPERATION OF PERSONAL WATERCRAFT, SPECIALTY PROPCRAFT, OR VESSELS IN EXCESS OF IDLE SPEED WITHIN ONE HUNDRED FEET OF A WHARF, DOCK, BULKHEAD, OR PIER OR WITHIN FIFTY FEET OF A MOORED OR ANCHORED VESSEL OR PERSON IN THE WATER.

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

Motor restrictions on Lake William C. Bowen

SECTION 1.    Section 50-25-1320(3) and (4) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(3) No boat, watercraft, or any other type of vessel powered by an outdrive or inboard motor having an engine automotive horsepower rating in excess of two hundred horsepower is permitted. This restriction does not apply to towboats which have been approved by the American Waterski Association or any Coast Guard-approved boat commonly referred to as an inboard boat designed by the manufacturer for towing waterskiers with the motor or engine located near the midpoint of the boat between the bow and stern, propeller driven by a single rod drive shaft extending through the hull with the propeller located under the boat in front of a rudder. V-Drive towboats will not be permissible.

(4) Personal watercraft may not exceed one hundred ninety horsepower.

(5) There is no minimum or maximum restriction on length of boats, watercraft, or any other type of vessel. Boats, watercraft, and other vessels operated for law enforcement, emergency medical services, or dam maintenance and repair are exempted from the restrictions in items (1) and (3) of this section.

Waterskiing and towing restrictions on Lake William C. Bowen

SECTION 2.    Section 50-25-1350 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 50-25-1350.    On Lake William C. Bowen it is unlawful to:

(1) operate a personal watercraft, specialty propcraft, or vessel in excess of idle speed within one hundred feet of a wharf, dock, bulkhead, or pier or within fifty feet of a moored or anchored vessel or person in the water;

(2) waterski and tow rafts, discs, or other similar floating devices upstream and west of the Interstate Highway 26 bridge which crosses over Lake William C. Bowen;

(3) pull more than two persons at one time from any boat or to waterski while carrying one or more persons piggyback;

(4) operate any boat, watercraft, or any other type of a vessel between midnight and one hour before sunrise.

Time effective

SECTION 3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 15th day of May, 2024.

Approved the 20th day of May, 2024.

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This web page was last updated on June 24, 2024 at 3:23 PM