A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 54-7-670, RELATING TO HOBBY LICENSES, SO AS TO PERMIT THE RECOVERY OF OBJECTs BY MAGNET.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Section 54-7-670(F) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    (F) This section limits the recovery of objects or materials from submerged archaeological historic property and submerged paleontological property under a hobby license to a limited number of objects which can be recovered by hand or by magnet. All powered mechanical dredging and lifting devices and buoyancy equipment except a personal flotation device of any sort are prohibited including, but not limited to, prop wash, air lift, water dredge, and pneumatically-operated lift bags under the license.

       (1) A person with a hobby license may collect from submerged lands of this State a reasonable number of artifactual items and/or complete and fragmented fossil specimens a day that:

           (a) are exposed or resting on the bottom sediments of submerged lands; and

           (b) do not require excavation to recover.

       (2) No artifactual or paleontological materials may be recovered from submerged lands of this State unless they can be obtained by hand or by magnet.

       (3) No specimen may be recovered from a fossil specimen with joined or interrelated elements before contacting the museum.

 

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

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