South Carolina General Assembly
117th Session, 2007-2008

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S. 1303

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Grooms, Land, Setzler, Campsen, Verdin, Fair, Cromer, Alexander, Williams and Cleary
Document Path: l:\s-res\lkg\017idli.kmm.doc

Introduced in the Senate on April 16, 2008
Currently residing in the Senate

Summary: Commercial diesel vehicles

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   4/16/2008  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-3
   4/16/2008  Senate  Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-3
   4/23/2008  Senate  Committee report: Favorable Transportation SJ-24
   4/24/2008          Scrivener's error corrected

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

4/16/2008
4/23/2008
4/24/2008

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

COMMITTEE REPORT

April 23, 2008

S. 1303

Introduced by Senators Grooms, Land, Setzler, Campsen, Verdin, Fair, Cromer, Alexander, Williams and Cleary

S. Printed 4/23/08--S.    [SEC 4/24/08 5:51 PM]

Read the first time April 16, 2008.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 1303) to amend Title 56 of the 1976 Code, relating to motor vehicles, by adding Chapter 35, to provide an operator of a commercial diesel vehicle may not allow a vehicle, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass:

LAWRENCE K. GROOMS for Committee.

            

A BILL

TO AMEND TITLE 56 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES, BY ADDING CHAPTER 35, TO PROVIDE AN OPERATOR OF A COMMERCIAL DIESEL VEHICLE MAY NOT ALLOW A VEHICLE TO IDLE FOR MORE THAN TEN MINUTES IN ANY SIXTY-MINUTE PERIOD, TO PROVIDE THAT A PASSENGER BUS MAY IDLE UP TO FIFTEEN MINUTES IN A SIXTY-MINUTE PERIOD, TO PROVIDE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING WHEN NON-DRIVER PASSENGERS ARE ON BOARD THE VEHICLE, TO PROVIDE FOR EXCEPTIONS TO THE IDLING RESTRICTIONS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE USE OF AN AUXILIARY POWER UNIT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE IDLING, TO PROVIDE FOR A DIESEL IDLING REDUCTION FUND, TO PROVIDE FOR AN IDLING REDUCTION AWARENESS AND EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND TO PROVIDE FOR PUNISHMENTS FOR VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE CHAPTER.

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

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

"Chapter 35

Idling Restrictions on Commercial Diesel Vehicles

Section 56-35-10.    As used in this chapter:

(1)    'Auxiliary power unit' means any mechanical or electrical device affixed to the vehicle that is designed to be used to generate an alternative source of power for any of the vehicle's systems other than the primary propulsion engine.

(2)    'Commercial diesel vehicle' means a self-propelled diesel motor vehicle licensed for use on a public roadway to transport passengers or property when the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight of ten thousand and one pounds or more, whichever is greater.

(3)    'Department' means the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

(4)    'Heavy duty vehicle' means a vehicle having a gross weight in excess of ten thousand pounds.

(4)    'Passenger bus' means a vehicle designed to carry sixteen or more passengers.

(5)    'Vehicle' means commercial diesel vehicle.

Section 56-35-20.    (A)(1)    An operator of a commercial diesel vehicle may not allow the vehicle to idle for more than ten minutes in any sixty-minute period.

(2)    A passenger bus may idle up to fifteen minutes in a sixty-minute period to provide heating or air conditioning when non-driver passengers are on board the vehicle.

(B)    A vehicle operator does not violate the idling restrictions provided in subsection (A) if he is idling:

(1)    a vehicle while forced to remain motionless because of traffic conditions beyond his control, an official traffic control device or signal, or at the direction of a law enforcement official;

(2)    a vehicle while operating defrosters, heaters, air conditioners, cargo refrigeration equipment, or to install equipment to prevent a safety or health emergency, or as otherwise required by federal or state motor carrier safety regulations. This exception does not apply when idling during a rest period;

(3)    a police, fire, ambulance, public safety, military, or other emergency or law enforcement vehicle, or any vehicle being used in an emergency capacity while in an emergency or training mode. This exception does not apply when idling for the convenience of the vehicle operator;

(4)    the primary propulsion engine of a vehicle for maintenance, servicing, repairing, or diagnostic purposes if idling is required;

(5)    a vehicle as part of a federal or state inspection to verify that all equipment is in good working order, if idling is required as part of the inspection;

(6)    idling of a primary propulsion engine is necessary to power work-related mechanical or electrical operations. This exception shall not apply when idling is done for cabin comfort or to operate non-essential onboard equipment;

(7)    an armored vehicle when a person remains inside the vehicle to guard contents or while the vehicle is being loaded or unloaded;

(8)    an occupied vehicle with a sleeper berth compartment for purpose of air conditioning or heating during:

(i)        a rest or sleep period;

(ii)    when the outside temperature at the location of the vehicle is less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit or greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit;

(iii)    while the vehicle is at a fleet trucking terminal, commercial truck stop, state designated location designed for the intended purpose of a driver's rest area, or any location that the vehicle is legally permitted to park; and

(iv)    the rest area or parking location is at least 500 feet from residential housing, schools, daycare facilities, hospitals, and other similar locations;

(9)    an occupied vehicle for the purpose of air conditioning or heating while waiting in line or queuing to load or unload the vehicle; and

(10)    on the premises of a restricted access facility or in areas on the private property of a business that are generally designed and intended for commercial vehicle access, loading or unloading when the facility or business is located at least five hundred feet away from any church, school, playground, daycare facility, or hospital.

Section 56-35-30.    (A)    For the purposes of this chapter, operating an auxiliary power unit, generator set, or other mobile idling reduction technology as a means to heat, air condition, or provide electrical power, as an alternative to idling the main engine, does not constitute idling an engine.

(B)    For a heavy-duty vehicle equipped with an auxiliary power unit designed for idling reduction, the gross vehicle weight or axle weight used to determine the fine for a violation of commercial vehicle weight restrictions is the actual gross vehicle weight or axle weight reduced by four hundred pounds.

Section 56-35-40.    A violation of the provisions of this chapter is a non-moving traffic offense that is punishable by:

(1)    a warning ticket for an offense that occurs between July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009; or

(2)    a fine of seventy-five dollars for an offense that occurs after July 1, 2009.

Section 56-35-50.    (A)    The State Transport Police Division of the Department of Public Safety is primarily responsible for enforcing the provisions of this chapter. An officer or agent of the State Transport Police that observes a vehicle operator violating the provisions of this chapter is authorized to issue a citation to the offender.

(B)    The officer must inform the individual receiving the citation that he has the option, at that time, to elect to pay his fine directly to the Department of Public Safety or to receive a hearing in magistrate's court. The fine may be deposited with the issuing officer or a person the Department of Public Safety may designate. Within forty-five days of collection, all monies collected by the Department of Public Safety must be forwarded to the department for deposit in the Diesel Idling Reduction Fund.

(C)(1)    Magistrates have jurisdiction over all contested violations of this chapter. All fines, fees, and costs collected by a magistrate related to a contested violation of this chapter must be deposited in the general fund of the county.

(2)    If person does not timely pay all fines, fees, and costs that have been levied against him by a magistrate for a violation of this chapter, his driver's license must be suspended and immediately returned to the Department of Motor Vehicles. If the person fails to return his driver's license as provided in this section, the Department of Motor Vehicles may secure possession of it by a commissioned trooper or officer. The suspension continues until the fines, fees, and costs are all paid in full.

(D)    The State Transport Police shall use a uniform size and weight citation for idling violations.

Section 56-35-60.    (A)    There is established in the State Treasury a fund separate and distinct from the general fund and all other funds entitled the Diesel Idling Reduction Fund. Earnings on this fund must be credited to it and a balance in the fund at the end of a fiscal year does not lapse to the general fund but is instead carried forward in the fund to the succeeding fiscal year. The monies in the fund must be used only to cover costs associated with the idling awareness program operated by the department.

(B)    The department must develop and operate an idling awareness and education program that promotes the benefits of idling reductions. The program must encourage businesses and vehicle operators to develop practices to reduce idling.

Section 56-35-70.    The provisions of this chapter shall be the sole source of idling restrictions on commercial diesel vehicles in this State and this chapter is the sole source of penalties for violations of the idling restrictions. The provisions in this chapter shall supercede and preempt any ordinance enacted by a local political subdivision purporting to regulate idling on commercial diesel vehicles.

Section 56-35-80.    The department must promulgate regulations to administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter."

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

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