S*0456(Rat #0131, Act #0127 of 2018)  General Bill, By Grooms and Shealy
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-50, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO BEGINNER'S PERMITS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO HOLDS
 A MOTORCYCLE BEGINNER'S PERMIT WHO HAS FAILED THE MOTORCYCLE DRIVER'S LICENSE
 TEST THREE OR MORE TIMES MUST COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY A SOUTH CAROLINA TECHNICAL
 COLLEGE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY COURSE, OR ITS EQUIVALENT, IN LIEU OF PASSING THE
 MOTORCYCLE DRIVER'S LICENSE TEST, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A MOTORCYCLE LICENSE; AND
 TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-770, RELATING TO POINTS REDUCED FOR COMPLETING A
 DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY DRIVER WITH A CLASS M
 (MOTORCYCLE) ENDORSEMENT WHO HAS ACCUMULATED POINTS UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF
 THIS ARTICLE SHALL HAVE THE NUMBER OF HIS POINTS REDUCED BY FOUR UPON PROVING
 TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES THAT HE HAS COMPLETED
 SUCCESSFULLY A SOUTH CAROLINA TECHNICAL COLLEGE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY COURSE OR
 ITS EQUIVALENT, TO PROVIDE FOR THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE COURSE, AND TO
 PROVIDE THAT NO PERSON'S POINTS MAY BE REDUCED MORE THAN ONE TIME IN ANY
 THREE-YEAR PERIOD. - ratified title

   02/22/17  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 3)
   02/22/17  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation
                     (Senate Journal-page 3)
   03/02/17  Senate Committee report: Favorable Transportation
                     (Senate Journal-page 13)
   03/08/17  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 36)
   03/08/17  Senate Roll call Ayes-39  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 36)
   03/09/17  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 21)
   03/13/17  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 18)
   03/13/17  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 18)
   05/10/17  House  Recalled from Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 75)
   05/11/17  House  Debate adjourned until Tues., 1-9-18
   01/10/18  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 9)
   01/10/18  House  Roll call Yeas-106  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 10)
   01/11/18  House  Read third time and enrolled (House Journal-page 600)
   02/01/18         Ratified R 131
   02/05/18         Signed By Governor
   02/08/18         Effective date 2/5/18
   02/12/18         Act No. 127

(A127, R131, S456)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-50, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO BEGINNER'S PERMITS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO HOLDS A MOTORCYCLE BEGINNER'S PERMIT WHO HAS FAILED THE MOTORCYCLE DRIVER'S LICENSE TEST THREE OR MORE TIMES MUST COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY A SOUTH CAROLINA TECHNICAL COLLEGE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY COURSE, OR ITS EQUIVALENT, IN LIEU OF PASSING THE MOTORCYCLE DRIVER'S LICENSE TEST, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A MOTORCYCLE LICENSE; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-770, RELATING TO POINTS REDUCED FOR COMPLETING A DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY DRIVER WITH A CLASS M (MOTORCYCLE) ENDORSEMENT WHO HAS ACCUMULATED POINTS UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL HAVE THE NUMBER OF HIS POINTS REDUCED BY FOUR UPON PROVING TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES THAT HE HAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY A SOUTH CAROLINA TECHNICAL COLLEGE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY COURSE OR ITS EQUIVALENT, TO PROVIDE FOR THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE COURSE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT NO PERSON'S POINTS MAY BE REDUCED MORE THAN ONE TIME IN ANY THREE-YEAR PERIOD.

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

Beginners' permits

SECTION    1.    Section 56-1-50 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 89 of 2017, is further amended by adding an appropriately lettered new subsection to read:

"(    )    A person who holds a motorcycle beginner's permit who has failed the motorcycle driver's license test three or more times must successfully complete a South Carolina technical college motorcycle safety course, or its equivalent, in lieu of passing the motorcycle driver's license test, in order to obtain a motorcycle license. All courses must be at least eight hours in length and be taught by an instructor accredited through a training program in which the procedures for accreditation are equivalent to those set forth in 'Manual of Rules and Procedures' published by the National Safety Council. All courses must include successful completion of an examination equivalent to the Department of Motor Vehicles motorcycle skills test. These programs are subject to Section 56-1-15."

Defensive driving course

SECTION    2.    Section 56-1-770 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-1-770.    (A)    Any driver who has accumulated points under the provisions of this article shall have the number of his points reduced by four upon proving to the satisfaction of the Department of Motor Vehicles that he has completed the National Safety Council's 'Defensive Driving Course' or its equivalent, if the course is completed after the points have been assessed. The course must be taught by an instructor accredited by the National Safety Council whose procedures for accreditation are set forth in the 'Manual of Rules and Procedures' published by the National Safety Council or equivalent accreditation procedures. The department shall establish procedures by which driver training schools may apply to the department for approval of a defensive driving course which will qualify those successfully completing the course for a reduction in points pursuant to this section. The department shall approve the National Safety Council's 'Defensive Driving Course' or its equivalent when offered by driver training schools and taught by an instructor accredited by the National Safety Council or equivalent accreditation procedures.

(B)    Any driver with a Class M (motorcycle) endorsement who has accumulated points under the provisions of this article shall have the number of his points reduced by four upon proving to the satisfaction of the Department of Motor Vehicles that he has successfully completed a South Carolina technical college motorcycle safety course or its equivalent. All courses offered for point reduction must be at least eight hours in length and be taught by an instructor accredited through a training program in which the procedures for accreditation are equivalent to those set forth in 'Manual of Rules and Procedures' published by the National Safety Council.

(C)    No person's points may be reduced more than one time in any three-year period, pursuant to the provisions contained in this section."

Time effective

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 1st day of February, 2018.

Approved the 5th day of February, 2018.