H 3276

  • South Carolina House Bill
  • 2025-2026 Regular Session
  • Introduced in House Apr 15, 2025
  • Passed House Apr 10, 2025
  • Passed Senate May 01, 2025
  • Signed by Governor May 12, 2025

SC Hands-Free Act

Abstract

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "SOUTH CAROLINA HANDS-FREE AND DISTRACTED DRIVING ACT" BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-3890, RELATING TO UNLAWFUL USE OF WIRELESS ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES WHILE OPERATING MOTOR VEHICLES, SO AS TO DELETE CERTAIN TERMS AND THEIR DEFINITIONS, TO DEFINE THE TERM "MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE," TO PROVIDE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICES MAY NOT BE USED WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE, TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING AND PROVIDE PENALTIES, TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISBURSEMENT OF FINES IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, TO PROVIDE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UPON WHICH THIS SECTION MAY BE ENFORCED, TO PROVIDE FOR THE SHARING OF CERTAIN INFORMATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND TO PROVIDE THIS SECTION IS NOT SUBJECT TO PROVISIONS RELATED TO CITIZENS ARRESTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO POINTS THAT MAY BE ASSESSED AGAINST A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVING VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING IS A TWO-POINT VIOLATION; TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL ERECT SIGNS ADVISING MOTORISTS OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE ONLY WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED FOR CERTAIN VIOLATIONS FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD; AND TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SHALL FILE A REPORT WITH CERTAIN OFFICIALS CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT PERSONS STOPPED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT. - RATIFIED TITLE

Bill Sponsors (19)

Votes


Actions


May 19, 2025

South Carolina Legislature

Act No. 40

South Carolina Legislature

Effective date 09/01/25

May 12, 2025

South Carolina Legislature

Signed By Governor

May 08, 2025

South Carolina Legislature

Ratified R 59

May 07, 2025

House

Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled

House

Roll call Yeas-77 Nays-37

May 06, 2025

House

Debate adjourned until Wed., 5-7-25

May 01, 2025

Senate

Read third time and returned to House with amendments

Apr 30, 2025

Senate

Amended

Senate

Roll call Ayes-40 Nays-0

Senate

Read second time

Senate

Committee Amendment Adopted

Apr 29, 2025

Senate

Special order, set for April 29, 2025

Apr 16, 2025

Senate

Committee report: Favorable with amendment Transportation

Apr 15, 2025

Senate

Introduced and read first time

Senate

Referred to Committee on Transportation

Apr 10, 2025

House

Read third time and sent to Senate

Apr 09, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hartnett

House

Member(s) request name removed as sponsor: Gilliard, Rivers

House

Amended

House

Read second time

House

Roll call Yeas-85 Nays-25

Apr 03, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.M.Smith

Apr 01, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hixon

Mar 27, 2025

House

Amended

House

Requests for debate-Rep(s). King, Long, Gibson, Frank, Edgerton, Magnuson, Kilmartin, White, Terribile, Chumley, Cromer, Gilreath, Huff, Williams, McDaniel, Grant, Garvin, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Rose, Kirby, Hosey, Taylor

House

Member(s) request name removed as sponsor: Henderson-Myers

House

Debate adjourned

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Gilliard, Anderson, Rivers, Schuessler

Mar 26, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Ligon

House

Debate adjourned until Thur., 3-27-25

Mar 25, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hart, Henderson-Myers, Erickson, Bradley

South Carolina Legislature

Scrivener's error corrected

Mar 20, 2025

House

Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary

Feb 18, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Wooten

Feb 13, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Bernstein

Feb 11, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Calhoon

Jan 29, 2025

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: McGinnis

Jan 14, 2025

House

Referred to Committee on Judiciary

House

Introduced and read first time

Dec 05, 2024

House

Referred to Committee on Judiciary

House

Prefiled

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
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Sources

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