South Carolina General Assembly
120th Session, 2013-2014

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 880

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Sheheen
Document Path: l:\s-res\vas\018text.kmm.vas.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 459

Introduced in the Senate on January 14, 2014
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary

Summary: Cellphone use while driving

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12/17/2013  Senate  Prefiled
  12/17/2013  Senate  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   1/14/2014  Senate  Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 57)
   1/14/2014  Senate  Referred to Committee on Judiciary 
                        (Senate Journal-page 57)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/17/2013

(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, TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON WHO HOLDS A BEGINNER'S PERMIT OR A RESTRICTED DRIVER'S LICENSE TO DRIVE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE USING A CELLULAR TELEPHONE OR TEXT MESSAGING DEVICE; AND TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO DRIVE A MOTOR VEHICLE THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE OR HIGHWAY WORK ZONE WHILE USING A CELLULAR TELEPHONE OR TEXT MESSAGING DEVICE.

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 who holds a beginner's permit or a restricted driver's license to drive a motor vehicle while using a cellular telephone or text messaging device.

(B)    It is unlawful for a person to drive a motor vehicle through a school zone while using a cellular telephone or text messaging device when the school zone's warning lights have been activated.

(C)    It is unlawful for a person to drive a motor vehicle through a highway work zone, as defined in Section 56-5-1535(B), while using a cellular telephone or text messaging device.

(D)    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 $500, or both."

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

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This web page was last updated on January 15, 2014 at 9:34 AM