South Carolina H 4100: Appropriations

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4100 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 26, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4100

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 ADDING CHAPTER 17 TO TITLE 50 SO AS TO REGULATE CAPTIVE WILDLIFE IN THIS 
STATE; BY AMENDING SECTION 50-16-40, RELATING TO THE EXCEPTION TO PERMIT 
REQUIREMENTS FOR WILDLIFE IMPORTED FOR EXHIBITION PURPOSES, SO AS TO REMOVE 
EXCEPTIONS; AND BY REPEALING SECTION 50-11-1180 RELATING TO the AUTHORITY OF the 
DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE PERMITS TO COLLECT PROTECTED WILDLIFE FOR SCIENTIFIC OR 
PROPAGATING PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Title 50 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

CHAPTER 17

Captive 
Wildlife

 Section 
50-17-10. For purposes of this chapter:

 (1) "AZA" means the Association of Zoos 
and Aquariums.

 (2) "Captive wildlife" means any 
wildlife, game animal, furbearing animal, part, product, egg, offspring, nest, 
dead body, derivative, or part thereof which is managed, protected, or the 
taking of which is specifically regulated by the department. This definition 
does not apply to the animal species of Chapter 2, Title 47.

 (3) "Department" means the South 
Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

 (4) "DPH" means the South Carolina 
Department of Public Health.

 (5) "Major wildlife violation" means a 
violation of any state or federal wildlife laws where the penalty carries more 
than one year in prison, results in the revocation of a state hunting or 
fishing license, or carries a fine of more than twenty-five hundred dollars.

 (6) "Nonreleaseable" means captive 
wildlife that is determined to be unsuitable for release back into its natural 
habitat due to imprinting, habituation, or physical impairment.

 (7) "North American furbearer" means a 
badger, beaver, bobcat, coyote, Canada lynx, ermine, fisher, arctic fox, gray 
fox, kit fox, red fox, swift fox, marten, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, 
raccoon, ringtail, otter, skunk, weasel, wolf, or wolverine.

 (8) "Person" means an individual, 
partnership, corporation, organization, association, or other legal entity.

 (9) "Rabies vector species" means a 
bat, bobcat, coyote, fox, raccoon, or skunk.

 (10) "Registered animal" means captive 
wildlife possessed by a registered party prior to the enactment of this 
chapter.

 (11) "Registered party" means a person 
who registers captive wildlife possessed prior to the enactment of this 
chapter.

 (12) "Wildlife educator" means a 
person who possesses and uses captive wildlife for wildlife-related educational 
programs and may require an exhibitor's license under the United States 
Department of Agriculture's Animal Welfare Act.

 (13) "Wildlife exhibitor" means a 
person who possesses and uses captive wildlife for wildlife-related exhibits, 
or activities requiring an exhibitor's license under the United States 
Department of Agriculture's Animal Welfare Act.

 (14) "Wildlife rehabilitator" means a 
person who receives, harbors, or possesses living, sick, injured, impaired, or 
orphaned captive wildlife to restore the wildlife to its natural habitat as 
soon as is practicable.

 (15) "Wildlife rehabilitator 
apprentice" means a person who is sponsored by and is under the direction and 
supervision of an authorized wildlife rehabilitator.

 (16) "Wildlife researcher" means 
a person who studies wildlife occurring in the State and whose research 
requires observing, capturing, or handling of wildlife.

 Section 
50-17-20. The department may promulgate regulations to implement this chapter 
including, but not limited to, regulations pertaining to the possession of 
captive wildlife and the standards for the humane confinement and care of 
captive wildlife.

 Section 
50-17-30. (A) The department is 
authorized to issue permits for wildlife rehabilitation, apprentice wildlife 
rehabilitation, wildlife education, wildlife exhibition, and wildlife research 
under this chapter.

 (B) The department may charge 
twenty-five dollars for wildlife rehabilitation, apprentice wildlife 
rehabilitation, wildlife education, and wildlife exhibition permits issued 
under this chapter. These permits are valid for three years after issuance.

 (C) The department may charge 
twenty-five dollars for wildlife research permits under this chapter. Wildlife 
research permits issued under this chapter are valid for one year after 
issuance.

 (D) A person convicted of a major 
wildlife violation or a crime that carries a penalty of more than one year in 
prison is not eligible to be permitted under this chapter for five years from 
the date of conviction.

 Section 
50-17-40. (A) Unless otherwise 
authorized by this title, it is unlawful to:

 (1) possess live captive wildlife 
without a permit or