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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
AS PASSED BY THE SENATE
May 21, 2002
H. 3480
S. Printed 5/21/02--S.
Read the first time April 19, 2001.
TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-2360, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE YIELDING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TO AN EMERGENCY OR POLICE VEHICLE WHEN AN EMERGENCY OR POLICE VEHICLE MAKES USE OF CERTAIN SIGNALS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A POLICE VEHICLE MAKES USE OF A VISUAL AS WELL AS AUDIBLE SIGNAL, THE DRIVER OF EVERY OTHER VEHICLE MUST YIELD THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TO THE POLICE VEHICLE.
Amend Title To Conform
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 56-5-2360(a) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(a) Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle making use of an audible signal meeting the requirements of Section 56-5-4970 and visual signals meeting the requirements of Section 56-5-4700, or of a police vehicle properly and lawfully making use of an audible signal or visual signal only, the driver of every other vehicle traveling along a two-lane roadway shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible, to the right hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain in such that position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police officer. A driver of a vehicle traveling along a multilane roadway shall yield the right-of-way and shall remain in, or move to a location that allows the emergency vehicle or police vehicle to pass safely, except as otherwise directed by a police officer."
SECTION 2. Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 56-3-1420. As used in this article 'all-terrain vehicle' or 'ATV' means a motorized vehicle measuring fifty inches or less in width, having a dry weight of six hundred pounds or less, designed primarily for recreational nonhighway travel, traveling on three or more low-pressure tires, having a seat designed to be straddled by the operator, and having handlebars for steering control.
Section 56-3-1425. An owner of an ATV shall make application to the Department of Public Safety for a certificate of registration and a permanent decal for the vehicle accompanied by the required fee and upon the appropriate form prescribed and furnished by the department accompanied by an affidavit affirming ownership of the ATV or a bill of sale from the place of business where the ATV was purchased.
Section 56-3-1430. The certificate of registration must be in the possession of a person transporting the vehicle on South Carolina highways or operating the vehicle on public land or land of a person other than the registered owner.
Section 56-3-1435. If he has reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed, a law enforcement officer may stop and require the operator or person transporting the ATV to produce its certificate of registration, which must be made available to a law enforcement officer upon request. If the ATV's Vehicle Identification Number is missing or altered or if its operator or the person transporting the ATV unlawfully refuses to present the certificate of registration upon request of a county or municipal law enforcement agency, the law enforcement agency may take possession of the vehicle until the certificate of registration is presented or, the law enforcement agency may issue a ticket with the day and time the person must appear in court with the certificate of registration.
Section 56-3-1440. When a person who is not a licensed ATV dealer receives by purchase, gift, trade, or by another means a vehicle which was registered in this State, the person who receives the vehicle shall within forty-five days after the transfer of ownership, make application to the department accompanied by the required fee for registration and an affidavit affirming ownership of the ATV, or a bill of sale from the place of business where the ATV was purchased. The department shall issue a certificate of registration once it has received a properly completed application. An owner of an ATV, before the enactment of this article, who cannot provide proof of ownership must request an affidavit from the sheriff in the county in which he resides. The affidavit shall state that the sheriff finds the person making application for the title is the legal owner of the ATV. Before issuing the affidavit the sheriff must verify through the National Crime Information Center that the ATV is not stolen. The department shall issue a title and certificate of registration to the owner upon presentation of the affidavit.
Section 56-3-1445. The registration fee for an ATV is twenty-five dollars. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the fee collected pursuant to this section must be placed by the Comptroller General into a special restricted account to be used by the Department of Public Safety to defray the expenses of the Division of Motor Vehicles in administering this article.
Section 56-3-1450. (A) It is unlawful for any person to:
(1) alter or deface a permanent decal affixed to an ATV;
(2) alter or deface a vehicle identification number of an ATV;
(3) wilfully remove or falsify a vehicle identification number of an ATV; or
(4) remove a permanent decal from an ATV or affix a permanent decal not authorized by law for use on the ATV, in either case with intent to conceal or misrepresent the identity of the ATV.
(B) A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars."
SECTION 3. Section 56-3-120 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 375 of 2000, is further amended by adding at the end:
"(6) firefighting vehicles that are publicly owned by the state or a county, municipality, or special purpose district as follows:
(a) motorized firefighting vehicles that carry a pump or water tank in excess of three hundred gallons;
(b) motorized firefighting vehicles containing a hydraulically operated ladder; and
(c) specialized support vehicles that specifically transport equipment utilized for rescue operations, hazardous materials response, wildfire emergencies, breathing air refill support, and incident command."
SECTION 4. (A) The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 56-1-464. (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 56-1-460, a person who drives a motor vehicle on any public highway of the State when his license is canceled, suspended, or revoked solely based on an out-of-state motor vehicle violation for which the penalty is a fine and the fine has not been paid to the out-of-state agency and when the violation is not based upon a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or a reckless driving charge may petition the magistrate's court to dismiss the state's charge of driving under suspension based upon the out-of-state violation if:
(1) the person presents to the court a satisfactory resolution of the out-of-state violation as exhibited by an official receipt from the out-of-state agency that the fine has been paid; and
(2) the person pays an assessment to the magistrate's court for a first offense of five hundred dollars; for a second offense of one thousand dollars; for a third offense of one thousand five hundred dollars; and for a fourth and subsequent offense of two thousand dollars. This assessment is not subject to an additional assessment under the provisions of Sections 14-1-207 or 14-1-208.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, and 22-3-550, an offense punishable under this subitem must be tried exclusively in magistrate's court.
(B) The provisions of Section 56-1-464 as contained in this section apply to any applicable out-of-state offense committed within the last ten years before the effective date of this section, notwithstanding any other provision of this act to the contrary."
SECTION 5. Section 56-5-1538 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 256 of 1996, is amended to read:
"Section 56-5-1538. (A) An emergency scene is a location designated by the potential need to provide emergency medical care and is identified by emergency vehicles with flashing red lights, rescue equipment, or emergency personnel on the scene.
(B) An emergency scene is a special hazard.
(C) An emergency scene is under the authority of the first arriving emergency personnel, which includes emergency medical services personnel, until the arrival of the fire or law enforcement officials having jurisdiction. All motor vehicles passing through an emergency scene and pedestrians observing an emergency scene must obey and not interfere with the duties of emergency personnel. Motor vehicles and bystanders may not block access to or exit from an emergency scene.
(D) The management authority of emergency medical services is limited to managing patient care and preventing further injury to the patients and on-scene personnel. This authority may be delegated by emergency personnel to provide an adequate level of safety.
(E) A paid or volunteer worker at an emergency scene has proper authority to be at and control the scene in a manner consistent with his training.
(F) The driver of a vehicle shall ensure that the vehicle is kept under control when approaching or passing an emergency scene or authorized emergency vehicle stopped on or near the right-of-way of a street or highway with emergency lights flashing. The exercise of control required for a driver to comply with this section is that control possible and necessary by the driver to prevent a collision, to prevent injury to persons or property, and to avoid interference with the performance of emergency duties by emergency personnel.
(G) A person driving a vehicle approaching a stationery authorized emergency vehicle that is giving a signal by displaying alternately flashing red, red and white, blue, or red and blue lights, or amber or yellow warning lights shall proceed with due caution, significantly reduce the speed of the vehicle, and:
(1) yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized emergency vehicle, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a highway having at least four lanes with not less than two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or
(2) maintain a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes is impossible or unsafe.
(H) A person who violates the provisions this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of endangering emergency services personnel and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than three hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars.
(I) For purposes of this section:
(1) 'Authorized emergency vehicle' means any ambulance, police, fire, rescue, recovery, or towing vehicle authorized by this State, county, or municipality to respond to a traffic incident.
(2) 'Emergency services personnel' means fire, police, or emergency medical services personnel (EMS) responding to an emergency incident."
SECTION 6. Section 56-5-2522 of the 1976 Code as added by Act 195 of 2002, is amended to read:
"Section 56-5-2522. (A) Notwithstanding another provision of law, a law enforcement officer who directs that a vehicle or object and its contents be towed for any reason, whether on public or private property, must use the established towing procedure for his jurisdiction.
(B) Sixty days After a vehicle or object has been towed, a law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction that must notify the owners and lienholders as provided in Section 56-5-5630, must provide the towing company the current owner's name, address, and a record of all lienholders along with the make, model, and vehicle identification number or a description of the object on the proper forms.
(C) A proprietor, owner, and operator of a storage place, garage, or towing service, which has towed and stored a vehicle or object, has a lien against the vehicle or object and its contents, and may have the vehicle or object and its contents sold at public auction. Storage costs can be charged for a period not to exceed sixty days after which the owner, lienholder of record, or both, must be notified of all current charges and additional storage costs that have accrued on the date a certified notice is mailed. Thirty Fifteen days after the notice is mailed, the vehicle or object and its contents may must be considered abandoned and sold by a regular or special constable appointed by the sheriff, or his designee, or chief of police, or his designee, as provided by Section 56-5-5640."
SECTION 7. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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