Airboats on Lake Moultrie

2025-2026 Bill 972: Airboats on Lake Moultrie - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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S. 972
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Grooms
Document Path: SFGF-0026BC26.docx
Introduced in the Senate on March 3, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on
Fish, Game and Forestry
Summary: Airboats on Lake Moultrie
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

3/3/2026

Senate

Introduced and read first time (
Senate Journal-page 5
)

3/3/2026

Senate

Referred to Committee on
Fish, Game and Forestry
(
Senate Journal-page 5
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
03/03/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION
50-21-860
, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF AIRBOATS, SO AS TO
PROHIBIT THE OPERATION OF CERTAIN AIRBOATS ON LAKE MOULTRIE FROM ONE HOUR
BEFORE LEGAL SUNSET TO ONE HOUR AFTER LEGAL SUNRISE.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
S
ection
50-21-860
of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

S
ection
50-21-860
.
(
A)
As used in this section, "airboat" means a watercraft
propelled by air pressure caused by a motor mounted on the watercraft
aboveboard.

(A)
(
B)
It is unlawful for a person to operate an airboat on
:

(
1)
the public waters of this
State from the freshwater-saltwater dividing line, established by Section
50-17-30
, seaward
.
;

(B)
(
2)

It
is unlawful to operate an airboat on
the waters of the Waccamaw, the
Great Pee Dee, the Little Pee Dee, the Black, and the Sampit Rivers in
Georgetown and Horry Counties from one hour before legal sunset to one hour
after legal sunrise and anytime during the season for hunting duck
.
;

(C)
(
3)

It
is unlawful to operate an airboat on
the waters of that portion of Lake
Marion and Santee Swamp west of the I-95 bridge upstream to the confluence of
the Congaree and Wateree Rivers during the season for hunting waterfowl
.
;

(D)
(
4)

It
is unlawful to operate an airboat on
the waters of the Broad River in
Richland County from one hour before legal sunset to one hour after legal
sunrise
.
;

(E)
(
5)

It
is unlawful to operate an airboat on
the waters of Stevens Creek in
Edgefield County from one hour before legal sunset to one hour after legal
sunrise
.
; and

(
6) the waters of Lake Moultrie from
one hour before legal sunset to one hour after legal sunrise.

(
C)
A person violating
the provisions of this section, upon conviction, must be punished as provided
by Section
50-1-130
.

(
D)
The provisions of
this section do not apply to the operation of airboats by law enforcement,
emergency medical, civil defense, noxious weed control, military personnel,
state and federally approved wildlife banding, surveying, biological research
programs, and private waters.

S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on March 3, 2026 at 12:40 PM