South Carolina Bill 835 is moving forward!
03-11-2002, 06:41 PM
#1
Member "69" Charter #70
Charter MemberThread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Lake Murray, South Carolina
Posts: 465
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
South Carolina Bill 835 is moving forward!
Any boat manufacturer and engine builders need to read this.
It is directed at all types of motors. This bill will affect all Ski boats, many runabouts (Crown Line, Celebrity, and Chaparral all build boats that exhaust through the hull as standard) jet ski's, the high performance outboards, and of course all sport/offshore boats. South Carolina has the eight highest population of boats in the country. Mercury Marine needs to step-up here. Any input will help.
Read the bill here
http://www.scstatehouse.net/bills/835.htm
Chm. of Fish Game and Forestry
Senator Chauncey K. Gregory (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Bill Sponsor and Chm. of Sub Committe,
Senator Robert L. Waldrep, Jr. (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Sub committe members
Senator Lawrence K. "Larry" Grooms (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator J. Yancey McGill (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Arthur Ravenel, Jr. (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Members of Fish, Game and Forestry
Senator John C. Land III (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Dick Elliott (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator C. Bradley Hutto (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Edward E. Saleeby (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator John W. Drummond (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Harvey S. Peeler, Jr. (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator William C. Mescher (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator John R. Kuhn (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator J. Yancey McGill (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Thomas L. Moore (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator William S. "Bill" Branton, Jr. (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Daniel B. "Danny" Verdin III (R)
mailto: [email protected]
It is directed at all types of motors. This bill will affect all Ski boats, many runabouts (Crown Line, Celebrity, and Chaparral all build boats that exhaust through the hull as standard) jet ski's, the high performance outboards, and of course all sport/offshore boats. South Carolina has the eight highest population of boats in the country. Mercury Marine needs to step-up here. Any input will help.
Read the bill here
http://www.scstatehouse.net/bills/835.htm
Chm. of Fish Game and Forestry
Senator Chauncey K. Gregory (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Bill Sponsor and Chm. of Sub Committe,
Senator Robert L. Waldrep, Jr. (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Sub committe members
Senator Lawrence K. "Larry" Grooms (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator J. Yancey McGill (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Arthur Ravenel, Jr. (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Members of Fish, Game and Forestry
Senator John C. Land III (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Dick Elliott (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator C. Bradley Hutto (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Edward E. Saleeby (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator John W. Drummond (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Harvey S. Peeler, Jr. (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator William C. Mescher (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator John R. Kuhn (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator J. Yancey McGill (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Thomas L. Moore (D)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator William S. "Bill" Branton, Jr. (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Senator Daniel B. "Danny" Verdin III (R)
mailto: [email protected]
Last edited by Jan; 03-12-2002 at 06:34 AM.
03-11-2002, 07:19 PM
#3
Registered
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Rock Hill S.C.
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jan, are you the heading up the powerboaters in S.C. to try and stop this bill? We as performance boaters need to be able to give input to the committee members. Do I need to send my input to all the names you listed? The Bill is a little one sided. Last year on Lake Wateree the Current law was tested and thrown out of court because the judge said you could not have a lake to lake ordinace. It had to be state wide ordinane. I guess thats why they are addind article 15. I boat on Lake Wylie and Lake Wateree and know of many performance boaters that would help with a protest or comments to committee members.
03-11-2002, 08:51 PM
#4
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Simpsonville, SC 29680
Posts: 653
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Who is fighting for us
Ken and Cathy Wiggins is also helping spread the news on 835. Let's get together to end this quick! They are heading up Lake Murray PowerBoat Club.
03-12-2002, 06:54 AM
#5
Member "69" Charter #70
Charter MemberThread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Lake Murray, South Carolina
Posts: 465
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At this time many of us are emailing the sub committee. I think the whole Fish Game and Forestry members should be included in any email. I also believe we should contact any boat/jet ski sales in our respective area's and make sure they are informed about 835 and its contents. From my understanding the Bill sponsor Senator Robert L. Waldrep, Jr. of Greenville is unwilling to hear any input. His quote to describe Offshore boaters "Aquatic Outlaws" states where he stands. The upstate voters need to get his name on radio/news papers.... Nobody wants more laws, in particular laws that govern recreation. Like Mike said, Ken and Cathy Wiggins are actively getting the word out, but we all need to bug these guys everyday until this Bill is dropped!
Jan
Here is a copy of an email sent to the sub-committee ffom Curt Owens. I think it covers most of our concerns.
To: Bill 835 Subcommittee
From: Curt Owens, Lake Murray SC
Re: The consideration of this legislation
Date: 2/27/02
Dear Committee members. I have recently been made aware that bill 835 is being considered for passage by your subcommittee. I would like to request that this bill not be given any realistic consideration for a number of reasons. The most obvious one is that boats make noise…period. Some more than others but they all make more noise than the average automobile running down a neighborhood street. I don’t know why individuals living on South Carolina’s lakes and rivers would expect anything less. I would compare it to moving next to an airport and then expressing surprise that the planes make noise. Or, living by a railway and being shocked at how noisy the train is when it comes down the track. I live on Lake Murray and hear boats coming and going all day long during summer weekends. It really is not a big deal and I would in fact be surprised if I didn’t hear them. The fact is when you choose to live in an aquatic environment you also choose to live with boat noise, the sound of kids swimming and playing and hunters shooting game. If I personally could not tolerate one of the above I would move to another type of environment. I would not try and legislate an existing environment to my personal liking. I don’t like snow; so I moved out of the snow belt long ago. Get my point?
Second is the cost involved in converting an existing watercraft from above the water to below the water exhaust. It sounds like it would be an easy conversion but it is not. My particular boat would require a major exhaust conversion in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 thousand dollars. Many boats do not even have this option due to the types of out drives and exhaust systems they employ. What they would do is beyond me.
Finally I can’t understand the fuss about a situation that exists, at most, 5 months per year, on the weekends, usually only on Saturday. The way I see it, from my dock, there are very few boaters/fisherman out on the water before April. Once September and football season, school etc. roll around, there is a dramatic cutback in skiing, fishing and pleasure boating. Sundays are reserved for church services for most. If this makes sense so far then we are talking about a law that would be designed and passed to control pleasure boats that operate a proximately 20 to 25 days per year! That’s 5 to 7 percent of the days in a given year to me and you. I ,for one, would like my representatives spending their valuable time looking for ways to reduce taxes, cut crime and lower auto insurance premiums, to name a few. These are issues that matter to the majority of South Carolinians.
Thank you very much for your kind consideration.
Jan
Here is a copy of an email sent to the sub-committee ffom Curt Owens. I think it covers most of our concerns.
To: Bill 835 Subcommittee
From: Curt Owens, Lake Murray SC
Re: The consideration of this legislation
Date: 2/27/02
Dear Committee members. I have recently been made aware that bill 835 is being considered for passage by your subcommittee. I would like to request that this bill not be given any realistic consideration for a number of reasons. The most obvious one is that boats make noise…period. Some more than others but they all make more noise than the average automobile running down a neighborhood street. I don’t know why individuals living on South Carolina’s lakes and rivers would expect anything less. I would compare it to moving next to an airport and then expressing surprise that the planes make noise. Or, living by a railway and being shocked at how noisy the train is when it comes down the track. I live on Lake Murray and hear boats coming and going all day long during summer weekends. It really is not a big deal and I would in fact be surprised if I didn’t hear them. The fact is when you choose to live in an aquatic environment you also choose to live with boat noise, the sound of kids swimming and playing and hunters shooting game. If I personally could not tolerate one of the above I would move to another type of environment. I would not try and legislate an existing environment to my personal liking. I don’t like snow; so I moved out of the snow belt long ago. Get my point?
Second is the cost involved in converting an existing watercraft from above the water to below the water exhaust. It sounds like it would be an easy conversion but it is not. My particular boat would require a major exhaust conversion in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 thousand dollars. Many boats do not even have this option due to the types of out drives and exhaust systems they employ. What they would do is beyond me.
Finally I can’t understand the fuss about a situation that exists, at most, 5 months per year, on the weekends, usually only on Saturday. The way I see it, from my dock, there are very few boaters/fisherman out on the water before April. Once September and football season, school etc. roll around, there is a dramatic cutback in skiing, fishing and pleasure boating. Sundays are reserved for church services for most. If this makes sense so far then we are talking about a law that would be designed and passed to control pleasure boats that operate a proximately 20 to 25 days per year! That’s 5 to 7 percent of the days in a given year to me and you. I ,for one, would like my representatives spending their valuable time looking for ways to reduce taxes, cut crime and lower auto insurance premiums, to name a few. These are issues that matter to the majority of South Carolinians.
Thank you very much for your kind consideration.
03-12-2002, 08:02 AM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Tampa, Indian Shores Beach
Posts: 3,300
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Sent this letter to all of them, hope it helps Jan
Dear Committee members. I have recently been made aware that bill 835 is being considered for passage by your subcommittee. I would like to request that this bill not be given any consideration. One of the most obvious reasons is the economic impact it will have on South Carolina Lakes and Rivers. My family frequents various lakes in South Carolina in the summer months for recreation and vacation. We enjoy the beauty and true southern hospitality South Carolina has to offer. However with the restrictions Bill 835 imposes on boats/watercraft requiring them to exhaust below water is unrealistic. Our boat is not designed to operate in this manor and we will not purchase another boat just for SC. My family will have no choice but to take our tourism dollars to another state. We use rental property, purchase gas, eat in restaurants, and shop in local stores. Please consider the impact of loosing tourism revenue as a consequence to Bill 835. I can guarantee this will happen. I believe SC is a great state and should not be changed.
Sincerely,
William Murray
Dear Committee members. I have recently been made aware that bill 835 is being considered for passage by your subcommittee. I would like to request that this bill not be given any consideration. One of the most obvious reasons is the economic impact it will have on South Carolina Lakes and Rivers. My family frequents various lakes in South Carolina in the summer months for recreation and vacation. We enjoy the beauty and true southern hospitality South Carolina has to offer. However with the restrictions Bill 835 imposes on boats/watercraft requiring them to exhaust below water is unrealistic. Our boat is not designed to operate in this manor and we will not purchase another boat just for SC. My family will have no choice but to take our tourism dollars to another state. We use rental property, purchase gas, eat in restaurants, and shop in local stores. Please consider the impact of loosing tourism revenue as a consequence to Bill 835. I can guarantee this will happen. I believe SC is a great state and should not be changed.
Sincerely,
William Murray
03-12-2002, 08:52 AM
#7
Registered
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Rock Hill S.C.
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just spoke with Carolyn at Senator Gregory office 803-212-6330 and she said the sub committe is meeting tomorrow at 11.00 in Columbia S.C room 406 in the Gresette building . Anyone can sign up at the beginning of the meeting to speak to the sub committe members or be there to listen to the committe members discussion. After the sub committe meets the bill goes to the full committe. Carolyn did say most of the letters are against the bill. I feel like the more people that go would send a message to the committe members. I can be reached at 1-800-288-2469. Harry Johnson.
03-12-2002, 09:42 AM
#8
Registered
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: JAX BEACH BABY!!
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good morning!
As Jan and Mike said, Kenneth and I along with the other LMPC members are contacting the senators that are on the committee to pass Bill 835. Kenneth has been on radio stations statewide trying to get the word out!
We are asking everyone to fax the letter Kenneth and another LMPC member wrote to the committe members stating that we are against the passage of Bill 835.
If you would like a copy of this letter, please e-mail me at [email protected] or you can call me at 888-781-6634 (in SC). Outside of SC, you can call 803-932-4600. I can fax you the letter along with a copy of the bill.
Thanks to Jan, Will, Curt, Harry and all the other people that are taking their time to help out on this! And a very big thanks to all the LMPC members that have been supportive and helpful to Kenneth and myself...Y'ALL ARE THE BEST!!
As Jan and Mike said, Kenneth and I along with the other LMPC members are contacting the senators that are on the committee to pass Bill 835. Kenneth has been on radio stations statewide trying to get the word out!
We are asking everyone to fax the letter Kenneth and another LMPC member wrote to the committe members stating that we are against the passage of Bill 835.
If you would like a copy of this letter, please e-mail me at [email protected] or you can call me at 888-781-6634 (in SC). Outside of SC, you can call 803-932-4600. I can fax you the letter along with a copy of the bill.
Thanks to Jan, Will, Curt, Harry and all the other people that are taking their time to help out on this! And a very big thanks to all the LMPC members that have been supportive and helpful to Kenneth and myself...Y'ALL ARE THE BEST!!
