Rep. James Smith filed a bill on March 4 to require permits for agricultural withdrawals

More legislative news, Rep. James Smith filed this bill yesterday that among other things, that a person seeking to withdraw surface water for agricultural uses after July 1, 2014 must apply for a permit to withdraw surface water pursuant to Section 49-4-70.
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/query.php?search=DOC&searchtext=H+4817&categ...

South Carolina Legislature Online -
TO AMEND SECTION 49-4-35, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION OF WITHDRAWAL OF SURFACE WATER FOR AGRICULTURAL USES, SO AS TO REQUIRE PERMITTING FOR NEW WITHDRAWALS AND FOR EXPANSION OF EXISTING REGISTRATIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 49-4-55, RELATING TO THE RIGHT OF REGISTERED SURFACE WATER WITHDRAWERS TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT AND EXEMPT WITHDRAWERS TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT OR REGISTER AN EXEMPT USE, SO AS TO CHANGE THE OPTION OF A WITHDRAWER OF SURFACE WATER FOR AGRICULTURAL USES TO OBTAIN A PERMIT INTO A REQUIREMENT AND ELIMINATE THE RIGHT OF AN EXEMPT WITHDRAWER TO REGISTER THE USE; TO AMEND SECTION 49-4-70, RELATING TO APPLICATIONS FOR SURFACE WATER WITHDRAWAL PERMITS AND OPERATIONAL AND CONTINGENCY PLANS, SO AS TO PROHIBIT APPLICATION TO WITHDRAWERS WHO ARE REGISTERED TO WITHDRAW SURFACE WATER FOR AGRICULTURAL USES, EXCEPT IF THE WITHDRAWER EXPANDS AN EXISTING REGISTERED USE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.