H 4519 General Bill, By Jefferson
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-4450, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE TIMES OF DAY WHEN A VEHICLE MUST DISPLAY LIGHTED LAMPS AND
 ILLUMINATING DEVICES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A VEHICLE MUST DISPLAY THESE
 DEVICES AT ALL TIMES EXCEPT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED.

   12/06/11  House  Prefiled
   12/06/11  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/10/12  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 68)
   01/10/12  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 68)

TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-4450, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE TIMES OF DAY WHEN A VEHICLE MUST DISPLAY LIGHTED LAMPS AND ILLUMINATING DEVICES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A VEHICLE MUST DISPLAY THESE DEVICES AT ALL TIMES EXCEPT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 56-5-4450 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-5-4450.    Every vehicle upon a street or highway within this State shall display lighted lamps and illuminating devices, excluding parking lights, from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, and at any other time when windshield wipers are in use as a result of rain, sleet, or snow, or when inclement weather or environmental factors severely reduce the ability to clearly discern persons and vehicles on the street or highway at a distance of five hundred feet ahead as required in this article for different classes of vehicles, at all times, subject to exceptions with respect to parked vehicles as provided in this article; provided, however, the provisions of this section requiring use of lights in conjunction with the use of windshield wipers shall not apply to instances when windshield wipers are used intermittently in misting rain, sleet, or snow.

Until January 1, 1989, any person who fails to display the lights of a vehicle he is operating when lights are required by this section due to inclement weather or environmental factors may be issued only a warning ticket.

Any A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, may be fined up to twenty-five dollars."

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