A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 50‑9‑525, relating to Licenses for disabled residents, so as to provide the requirements for obtaining a lifetime disability combination license or a lifetime disability fishing license for certain persons.

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

SECTION 1. Section 50‑9‑525 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 50‑9‑525. (A) A resident who is determined to be disabled and receiving benefits under a Social Security program, the Civil Service Retirement System, the South Carolina State Retirement System, the Railroad Retirement Board, the Veterans Administration, or Medicaid, or their successor agencies or programs, may obtain a three year disability combination license or a three year disability fishing license at no cost. The license must be issued by the department from its designated offices and is valid for three years from the date of issue. Disability recertification is required for renewal. To recertify, an applicant must furnish proof, in the manner prescribed by the department, that he or she is currently receiving disability benefits and is a domiciled resident of this State. The department may waive the proof of disability benefit requirement for renewals where the resident is at least sixty‑five years of age.

(B) A resident on the date of application for a disability license, with quadriplegia or paraplegia, who is certified as totally disabled, must be issued a lifetime disability combination license or a lifetime disability fishing license at no cost. Disability recertification or renewal of this license is not required.

(C) A resident on the date of application for a disability license who is certified legally blind as defined in Section 432520 must be issued a lifetime disability combination license or a lifetime disability fishing license at no cost. Disability recertification or renewal of this license is not required.

(C)(D) A resident born after June 30, 1979, who has not completed the required hunter education certification only may obtain a disability fishing license at no cost. Upon completion of the hunter education certification, the licensee may apply to the department for the additional disability hunting privileges at no cost.

(D)(E) A disability license issued to a person who is no longer domiciled in this State is void and the person must obtain the required nonresident licenses, permits, stamps, and tags to hunt and fish in this State.

(E)(F)(1) A disability combination license includes the statewide privileges of hunting big game, hunting migratory waterfowl, hunting on wildlife management area lands, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing.

(2) A disability fishing license includes the privileges of freshwater fishing and saltwater fishing.

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

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