South Carolina General Assembly
108th Session, 1989-1990

Bill 3053

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3053
Ratification Number:       525
Act Number                 443
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Unlawful to display obscene bumper
                           sticker
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A443, R525, H3053)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-3885 SO AS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE IN THIS STATE WHICH HAS AFFIXED TO IT AN OBSCENE BUMPER STICKER AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION.

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

Unlawful to display obscene bumper sticker

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 56-5-3885. (A) No person may operate a motor vehicle in this State which has affixed or attached to any part of the motor vehicle which is visible to members of the public not occupying the vehicle any sticker, decal, emblem, or other device containing obscene or indecent words, photographs, or depictions.

(B) Obscene words, photographs, or depictions must be defined and interpreted as provided in Section 16-15-305(B), (C), (D), and (E).

(C) A sticker, decal, emblem, or device is indecent when:

(1) taken as a whole, it describes, in a patently offensive way, as determined by contemporary community standards, sexual acts, excretory functions, or parts of the human body; and

(2) taken as a whole, it lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

(D) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (A) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars."

Time effective

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

Approved the 25th day of April, 1990.