South Carolina General Assembly
117th Session, 2007-2008

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Indicates New Matter

S. 1133

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Knotts
Document Path: l:\council\bills\swb\5453cm08.doc

Introduced in the Senate on February 20, 2008
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Transportation

Summary: Cellular telephones

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/20/2008  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-10
   2/20/2008  Senate  Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-10

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/20/2008

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-1-55 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE USING A CELLULAR TELEPHONE, PAGER, PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT DEVICE, OR ANOTHER WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE THAT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A HANDS-FREE MECHANISM, TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS PROVISION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICE, AND FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS AND PERSONNEL WHEN THEY ARE PERFORMING THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES.

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

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

"Section 56-1-55.    (A)    It is unlawful for a person to operate a motor vehicle while using a cellular telephone, pager, personal digital assistant device, or another wireless communications device while the vehicle is in motion.

(B)    This section does not apply to a cellular telephone, pager, personal digital assistant device, or another wireless communications device that is equipped with and operated with a hands-free mechanism.

(C)    A person who violates a provision contained in this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or fined not more than five hundred dollars, or both.

(D)    This section does not apply to law enforcement, emergency management service, and fire department officials and personnel when they are performing their official duties."

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

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