H 4307 General Bill, By Rutherford and Hosey
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 56-5-1545 SO AS TO ENACT "SENIOR TROOPER MICHAEL J. RAO'S LAW" TO PROVIDE
 CERTAIN PROCEDURES THAT A DRIVER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE SHALL FOLLOW WHEN
 APPROACHING A STATIONARY EMERGENCY VEHICLE DISPLAYING LIGHTED RED OR LIGHTED
 RED AND BLUE LIGHTS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO POINTS
 ASSESSED AGAINST A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD FOR VARIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE
 VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO IMPROPERLY OPERATES A VEHICLE
 WHEN HE APPROACHES AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE MUST HAVE FOUR POINTS ASSESSED AGAINST
 HIS DRIVING RECORD.

   12/05/07  House  Prefiled
   12/05/07  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/08/08  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-27
   01/08/08  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-27

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-1545 SO AS TO ENACT "SENIOR TROOPER MICHAEL J. RAO'S LAW" TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PROCEDURES THAT A DRIVER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE SHALL FOLLOW WHEN APPROACHING A STATIONARY EMERGENCY VEHICLE DISPLAYING LIGHTED RED OR LIGHTED RED AND BLUE LIGHTS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO POINTS ASSESSED AGAINST A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD FOR VARIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO IMPROPERLY OPERATES A VEHICLE WHEN HE APPROACHES AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE MUST HAVE FOUR POINTS ASSESSED AGAINST HIS DRIVING RECORD.

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

SECTION    1.    This act may be referred to as "Senior Trooper Michael J. Rao's Law".

SECTION    2.    Article 1, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 56-5-1545.    (A)    Upon approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying lighted red or lighted red and blue lights, the driver of a motor vehicle shall:

(1)    proceed with caution and yield the right-of-way, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the stationary vehicle, when on a roadway having at least four lanes with not less than two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or

(2)    proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be unsafe or impossible.

(B)    A person who violates a provision contained in this section, upon conviction, must have four points assessed against his driving record."

SECTION    3.    Section 56-1-720 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-1-720.    There is established a point system for the evaluation of the operating record of persons to whom a license to operate motor vehicles has been granted and for the determination of the continuing qualifications of these persons for the privileges granted by the license to operate motor vehicles. The system shall have as its basic element a graduated scale of points assigning relative values to the various violations in accordance with the following schedule:

VIOLATION    POINTS

Reckless driving     6

Passing stopped school bus     6

Hit-and-run, property damages only     6

Driving too fast for conditions, or speeding:

(1)    No more than 10 m.p.h. above the

posted limits     2

(2)    More than 10 m.p.h. but less than 25

m.p.h. above the posted limits     4

(3)    25 m.p.h. or above the posted limits     6

Disobedience of any official traffic control

device         4

Disobedience to officer directing traffic     4

Failing to yield right of way     4

Driving on wrong side of road     4

Passing unlawfully     4

Turning unlawfully     4

Driving through or within safety zone     4

Failing to give signal or giving improper

signal for stopping, turning, or suddenly

decreased speed     4

Improper operation of a vehicle when approaching

a stationary emergency vehicle     4

Shifting lanes without safety precaution     2

Improper dangerous parking     2

Following too closely     4

Failing to dim lights     2

Operating with improper lights     2

Operating with improper brakes     4

Operating a vehicle in unsafe condition     2

Driving in improper lane     2

Improper backing     2."

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