H 3276 General Bill, By Rutherford
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 56-5-4905 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE
 ALONG A HIGHWAY WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER THAT IS MAINTAINED IN GOOD WORKING
 ORDER, TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS PROVISION, AND TO PROVIDE
 THAT A PERSON WHO IS CHARGED WITH OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE TWENTY MILES AN
 HOUR OR LESS IN EXCESS OF THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, MUST BE CHARGED WITH
 OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER THAT IS MAINTAINED IN GOOD
 WORKING ORDER.

   12/15/16  House  Prefiled
   12/15/16  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/10/17  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 146)
   01/10/17  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 146)

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-4905 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE ALONG A HIGHWAY WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER THAT IS MAINTAINED IN GOOD WORKING ORDER, TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS PROVISION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO IS CHARGED WITH OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE TWENTY MILES AN HOUR OR LESS IN EXCESS OF THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, MUST BE CHARGED WITH OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER THAT IS MAINTAINED IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

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

SECTION    1.    Article 35, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 56-5-4905.    (A)    Every motor vehicle when operated on a highway must be equipped with a speedometer which must be maintained in good working order.

(B)    A person who violates this section must be charged with the offense of 'Improper Equipment - Speedometer' and upon conviction must be fined not more than twenty-five dollars.

(C)    Notwithstanding another provision of law, a person who is charged with operating a motor vehicle twenty miles an hour or less in excess of the posted speed limit and can prove that his vehicle's speedometer was not in good working order at the time of being charged, must be charged with violating subsection (A)."

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