S 0168 General Bill, By Washington and Leventis
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-540 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO FILES, RECORDS, AND INDEXES TO BE KEPT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
 SAFETY, SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT FROM MAINTAINING RECORDS OF ACCIDENTS
 AS A PART OF A LICENSEE'S DRIVING RECORD UNLESS THE LICENSEE IS CONVICTED OF A
 TRAFFIC VIOLATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACCIDENT.

   12/16/98  Senate Prefiled
   12/16/98  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/12/99  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-67
   01/12/99  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-67

TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-540 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FILES, RECORDS, AND INDEXES TO BE KEPT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT FROM MAINTAINING RECORDS OF ACCIDENTS AS A PART OF A LICENSEE'S DRIVING RECORD UNLESS THE LICENSEE IS CONVICTED OF A TRAFFIC VIOLATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACCIDENT.

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

SECTION 1. Section 56-1-540(2) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(2) The department shall:

(a) file all accident reports; and

(b) file abstracts of court records of convictions received by it under the laws of this State and, in connection therewith, maintain convenient records or make suitable notations in order that an individual record of each licensee showing the convictions of such the licensee and the traffic accidents in which he has been involved convicted of a traffic violation in connection with the accident shall be readily ascertainable and available for the consideration of the department upon application for renewal of license and at other suitable times."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.