South Carolina General Assembly
125th Session, 2023-2024

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A174, R213, H4436

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Wooten, Ballentine, Long, Erickson, Caskey, Calhoon, Wetmore, Taylor, Forrest, Hiott, Davis, Pope, Herbkersman, M.M. Smith, Robbins, Lawson, Burns, Chumley, Mitchell and Yow
Document Path: LC-0344WAB23.docx

Introduced in the House on May 4, 2023
Introduced in the Senate on March 12, 2024
Currently residing in the House
Governor's Action: May 20, 2024, Signed

Summary: Emergency vehicle operators

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
5/4/2023 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 14)
5/4/2023 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 14)
1/10/2024 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Taylor
1/17/2024 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Forrest, Hiott, Davis, Pope, Herbkersman, M.M. Smith, Robbins
1/23/2024 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Lawson
2/6/2024 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Burns, Chumley
2/28/2024 House Committee report: Favorable Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 10)
3/1/2024 Scrivener's error corrected
3/5/2024 House Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Mitchell, Yow
3/6/2024 House Read second time (House Journal-page 49)
3/6/2024 House Roll call Yeas-116 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 49)
3/7/2024 House Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 22)
3/7/2024 House Roll call Yeas-109 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 22)
3/12/2024 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 6)
3/12/2024 Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate Journal-page 6)
4/25/2024 Senate Polled out of committee Transportation (Senate Journal-page 10)
4/25/2024 Senate Committee report: Favorable Transportation (Senate Journal-page 10)
5/7/2024 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 87)
5/7/2024 Senate Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 87)
5/8/2024 Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 81)
5/15/2024 Ratified R 213
5/20/2024 Signed By Governor
5/29/2024 Effective date 05/20/24
5/29/2024 Act No. 174

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

05/04/2023
02/28/2024
03/01/2024
04/25/2024


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

(A174, R213, H4436)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-1538, RELATING TO EMERGENCY SCENE MANAGEMENT, SO AS TO PROVIDE DRIVERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING VEHICLE CONTROL IN CERTAIN EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES TO AVOID INTERFERING WITH THE OPERATION OF AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.

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

Motorist obligations and emergency scenes

SECTION 1.    Section 56-5-1538(F) and (H) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(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, or interfering with the operation of an authorized emergency vehicle.

(H) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of endangering emergency services personnel or operators of authorized emergency vehicles and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than three hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars.

Time effective

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

Ratified the 15th day of May, 2024.

Approved the 20th day of May, 2024.

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This web page was last updated on June 25, 2024 at 12:07 PM