H*3293(Rat #0594, Act #0479 of 1992)  General Bill, By L.E. Bennett, D.M. Bruce and 
J.J. Snow
 A Bill to amend Section 56-5-4900, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to motor vehicles and the provision that certain regulations as to
 brakes are inapplicable to certain farm trailers, so as to provide that
 Sections 56-5-4850 to 56-5-4900 do not apply to trailers, not exceeding
 twelve, rather than eight, thousand pounds gross weight, which are pulled
 behind farm tractors or trucks and used in the transportation of certain farm
 products and articles to and from farms, to provide that farm trailers
 exceeding eight thousand pounds gross weight, excluding gooseneck-type
 trailers, which are not equipped with brakes must be pulled behind farm
 tractors or behind trucks rated by the manufacturer as having a load capacity
 of at least one ton and having at least four wheels on the rear axle, to
 provide that trailers so pulled when pulled by a truck, and not a tractor,
 must have displayed on the rear signal lamps in accordance with Section
 56-5-4730, and to provide that all farm trailers must be equipped with and
 shall have in use safety chains when the trailers are used to haul farm
 products and articles on the roads, streets, or highways of this
 State.-amended title

   01/23/91  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-10
   01/23/91  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-10
   03/31/92  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education and Public Works HJ-31
   04/15/92  House  Amended HJ-34
   04/15/92  House  Debate adjourned until Thursday, April 16, 1992 HJ-35
   04/16/92  House  Amended HJ-18
   04/16/92  House  Read second time HJ-20
   04/16/92  House  Motion noted- reconsider the vote whereby read
                     second time HJ-30
   04/21/92  House  Motion to reconsider tabled HJ-18
   04/21/92  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-18
   04/22/92  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   04/22/92  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-6
   06/02/92  Senate Recalled from Committee on Transportation SJ-4
   06/02/92  Senate Read second time SJ-4
   06/02/92  Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day SJ-5
   06/03/92  Senate Read third time and enrolled SJ-42
   06/04/92         Ratified R 594
   06/23/92         Signed By Governor
   06/23/92         Effective date 06/23/92
   06/23/92         Act No. 479
   07/08/92         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-4900, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE PROVISION THAT CERTAIN REGULATIONS AS TO BRAKES ARE INAPPLICABLE TO CERTAIN FARM TRAILERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT SECTIONS 56-5-4850 TO 56-5-4900 DO NOT APPLY TO TRAILERS, NOT EXCEEDING TWELVE, RATHER THAN EIGHT, THOUSAND POUNDS GROSS WEIGHT, WHICH ARE PULLED BEHIND FARM TRACTORS OR TRUCKS AND USED IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF FARM PRODUCTS AND ARTICLES TO AND FROM FARMS, TO PROVIDE THAT FARM TRAILERS EXCEEDING EIGHT THOUSAND POUNDS GROSS WEIGHT, EXCLUDING GOOSENECK-TYPE TRAILERS, WHICH ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH BRAKES MUST BE PULLED BEHIND FARM TRACTORS OR BEHIND TRUCKS RATED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS HAVING A LOAD CAPACITY OF AT LEAST ONE TON AND HAVING AT LEAST FOUR WHEELS ON THE REAR AXLE, TO PROVIDE THAT TRAILERS SO PULLED WHEN PULLED BY A TRUCK, AND NOT A TRACTOR, MUST HAVE DISPLAYED ON THE REAR SIGNAL LAMPS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 56-5-4730, AND TO PROVIDE THAT ALL FARM TRAILERS MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH AND SHALL HAVE IN USE SAFETY CHAINS WHEN THE TRAILERS ARE USED TO HAUL FARM PRODUCTS AND ARTICLES ON THE ROADS, STREETS, OR HIGHWAYS OF THIS STATE.

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

Farm trailers, brakes; provisions added; etc.

SECTION 1. Section 56-5-4900 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-5-4900. Sections 56-5-4850 to 56-5-4900 do not apply to trailers, not exceeding twelve thousand pounds gross weight, which are pulled behind farm tractors or trucks and used in the transportation of farm products and articles to and from farms. However, farm trailers exceeding eight thousand pounds gross weight, excluding gooseneck-type trailers, which are not equipped with brakes must be pulled behind farm tractors or behind trucks rated by the manufacturer as having a load capacity of at least one ton and having at least four wheels on the rear axle. Trailers so pulled may not exceed a speed greater than twenty miles per hour and when pulled by a truck, and not a tractor, must have displayed on the rear signal lamps in accordance with Section 56-5-4730.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or of this chapter, all farm trailers must be equipped with and shall have in use safety chains when the trailers are used to haul farm products and articles on the roads, streets, or highways of this State."

Time effective

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

Approved the 23rd day of June, 1992.