H*2231(Rat #0381, Act #0362 of 1988)  General Bill, By M.D. Burriss, F.L. Day and 
J.C. Hearn
 A Bill to amend Section 56-1-30, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to persons exempt from driver's license requirements, so as to allow
 nonresidents on active duty in the armed services ninety days to obtain a
 South Carolina driver's license; and to amend the 1976 Code by adding Section
 56-1-35 so as to provide that a member of the armed services of the United
 States and his dependents who become permanent residents of the State have
 ninety days to obtain a South Carolina driver's license and to provide that
 they must be issued a South Carolina driver's license without examination if
 they have a valid driver's license from another state or territory of the
 United States, or the District of Columbia at the time of their
 application.-amended title

   01/21/87  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-175
   01/21/87  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-175
   02/11/87  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education and Public Works HJ-476
   02/17/87  House  Objection by Rep. Klapman HJ-554
   02/17/87  House  Debate adjourned HJ-554
   02/17/87  House  Amended HJ-561
   02/17/87  House  Read second time HJ-561
   02/18/87  House  Objection by Rep. J. Bradley, Kohn & Holt HJ-596
   02/19/87  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-665
   02/19/87  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-604
   02/19/87  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-604
   02/23/88  Senate Committee report: Favorable Transportation SJ-10
   02/24/88  Senate Read second time SJ-50
   02/25/88  Senate Read third time and enrolled SJ-23
   03/08/88         Ratified R 381
   03/14/88         Signed By Governor
   03/14/88         Effective date 03/14/88
   03/14/88         Act No. 362
   03/15/88         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-30, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PERSONS EXEMPT FROM DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO ALLOW NONRESIDENTS ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE ARMED SERVICES NINETY DAYS TO OBTAIN A SOUTH CAROLINA DRIVER'S LICENSE; AND TO AMEND THE 1976 CODE BY ADDING SECTION 56-1-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A MEMBER OF THE ARMED SERVICES OF THE UNITED STATES AND HIS DEPENDENTS WHO BECOME PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE STATE HAVE NINETY DAYS TO OBTAIN A SOUTH CAROLINA DRIVER'S LICENSE AND TO PROVIDE THAT THEY MUST BE ISSUED A SOUTH CAROLINA DRIVER'S LICENSE WITHOUT EXAMINATION IF THEY HAVE A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE FROM ANOTHER STATE OR TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES, OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AT THE TIME OF THEIR APPLICATION.

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

Driver's license for members of the armed services and dependents

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 56-1-35. A member of the Armed Services of the United States and his dependents, who become permanent residents of this State, have ninety days to apply for a South Carolina driver's license, and they must be issued a license without examination except for the visual test required by Section 56-1-210 if they have a valid driver's license from another state or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia. The license expires on the licensee's birth date which occurs within the fourth calendar year in which the license is issued."

Nonresident on active duty in armed services has ninety days to obtain South Carolina license

SECTION 2. Item (3) of Section 56-1-30 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(3) Any nonresident who is at least eighteen years of age and whose home state or country does not require the licensing of operators may operate a motor vehicle for a period of not more than ninety days in any calendar year, if the motor vehicle is duly registered in the home state or country of the nonresident and a nonresident on active duty in the Armed Services of the United States who has a valid license issued by his home state and the nonresident's spouse or dependent who has a valid license issued by his home state; and".

Any active duty person in armed services has ninety days to obtain South Carolina license SECTION 3. Section 56-1-30 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a new item to read:

"(5) Any person on active duty in the Armed Services of the United States who has in his immediate possession a valid driver's license issued in a foreign country or by the Armed Services of the United States may operate a motor vehicle in this State for a period of not more than ninety days from the date of his return to the United States."

Time effective

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.