South Carolina H 4461: Jerome Robinson, Jr.

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4461 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 30, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4461

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE of laws BY AMENDING 
CHAPTER 2 OF TITLE 47 RELATING TO THE POSSESSION OF LARGE WILD CATS, NON-NATIVE 
BEARS, AND GREAT APES, SO AS TO INCLUDE REFERENCES TO PRIMATEs and to LIMIT THE 
POSSESSION AND ACQUISITION OF COVERED ANIMALS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 2, Title 47 of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

CHAPTER 2

Large Wild Cats, Non-Native Bears and Great ApesPrimates

 Section 
47-2-10. As contained in this chapter:

 (1) 
"Animal control authority" means the agency designated by a city or county to 
administer ordinances regulating, restricting, or prohibiting the possession of 
large wild cats, non-native bears, and great apescovered animals. The animal control agency may be a 
municipal or county animal control agency, county sheriff, or other designated 
agency.

 (2) "Large wild cat, non-native bear and great ape" "Covered animal" means one of the following types of 
animals of the order Carnivora or Primate, and any hybrids of these animals:

 (a) 
Family Felidae, Genus panthera-all lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, 
cheetahs, snow leopards, and clouded leopards;

 (b) 
Family Ursidae-all bears that are not native to South Carolina and not subject 
to oversight by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; and

 (c) 
Family Hominidae-all great apes; to include all species 
of chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutansOrder 
Primate - all primates, except humans.

 (3) 
"Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, organization, trade, 
or professional association, firm, limited liability company, joint venture, 
association, trust, estate, or any other legal entity, and any employee, agent, 
or representative of the entity.

 (4) 
"Possessor" means any person who owns, possesses, keeps, harbors, brings into 
the State, acts as a custodian of, or has custody or control of, a large wild cat, non-native bear, or great apecovered animal.

 (5) "Great Ape" means all animals in the 
family Hominidae of the order Primate, to include all species of chimpanzees, 
gorillas, and orangutans.

 Section 
47-2-20. (A) The provisions of this 
chapter do not apply to:

 (1) 
duly incorporated nonprofit animal protection organizations, such as humane 
societies and shelters, housing a large wild cat, 
non-native bear or great apecovered animal 
temporarily at the written request of the animal control authority or acting 
under the authority of this chapter;

 (2) 
federal or state wildlife enforcement officers acting under the scope of their 
authority;

 (3) 
animal control or law enforcement agencies or officers acting under the 
authority of this chapter;

 (4) 
veterinary hospitals, clinics, veterinarians, and persons employed at such 
facilities under the direction of a veterinarian who are actively treating a large wild cat, non-native bear, or great apecovered animal in their professional capacity as a 
veterinarian or employee of such facility;

 (5) 
a university, college, laboratory, or other research facility holding a Class R 
registration under the Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. Section 2131, et seq., as 
amended;

 (6) 
any person who possesses a valid United States Department of Agriculture Class 
A, B, or C license in good standing and is in compliance with the United States 
Department of Agriculture Animal Welfare Act regulations and standards as of 
January 1, 2018 or, with respect the primates that are not 
great apes, as of January 1, 2026. This person may keep and acquire new large wild cats, non-native bears, or great apescovered animals;

 (7) 
any person who obtains a valid United States Department of Agriculture Class A, 
B, or C license and is in compliance with the United States Department of 
Agriculture Animal Welfare Act regulations and standards after January 1, 2018, but before January 1, 2026, may keep and acquire large wild cats, non-native bears, or great apes after that date covered animals of the family Felidae, Genus panthera, family 
Ursidae, or family Hominidae, and must comply with the applicable 
provisions of this chapter;

 (8) 
circuses that are incorporated and hold a Class C license under the Animal 
Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. Section 2131, et seq., as amended, that are temporarily 
in this State, and that offer performances by live animals, clowns, and 
acrobats for public entertainment; and

 (9) 
an intermediate handler, as defined by the Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. Section 
2136, et seq., acting as a registered agent for a USDA license, pursuant to the 
Captive Wildlife Safety Act, shall be permitted to transpo