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A147, R159, S1
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Ryberg, Hutto, Lourie, Drummond, Land, Moore, Matthews, McGill, O'Dell, Reese, Hayes, Gregory, Jackson, Martin, Rankin, Short, Richardson, Ritchie, Cromer, J. Verne Smith, Leatherman, Fair and Patterson
Document Path: l:\s-jud\bills\ryberg\jud0013.wgr.doc
Introduced in the Senate on January 11, 2005
Introduced in the House on February 3, 2005
Last Amended on June 1, 2005
Passed by the General Assembly on June 1, 2005
Became law without Governor's signature, June 9, 2005
Summary: Child restraint requirements
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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12/8/2004 Senate Prefiled
12/8/2004 Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation
1/11/2005 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-76
1/11/2005 Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-76
1/19/2005 Senate Committee report: Majority favorable with amend.,
minority unfavorable Transportation SJ-13
1/20/2005 Scrivener's error corrected
1/25/2005 Senate Amended SJ-21
1/25/2005 Senate Debate interrupted SJ-21
1/26/2005 Scrivener's error corrected
1/26/2005 Senate Debate interrupted SJ-34
1/27/2005 Senate Amended SJ-30
1/27/2005 Senate Read second time SJ-30
2/1/2005 Scrivener's error corrected
2/1/2005 Senate Debate interrupted SJ-18
2/2/2005 Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-30
2/3/2005 House Introduced and read first time HJ-20
2/3/2005 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works HJ-20
2/23/2005 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education and
Public Works HJ-5
3/1/2005 House Requests for debate-Rep(s). Thompson, Rice, Talley, JE
Brown, Vick, Hosey, Merrill, Owens, GR Smith,
Davenport, Moody-Lawrence, Kirsh, Bailey, R Brown, and
Vaughn HJ-30
3/2/2005 House Amended HJ-55
3/2/2005 House Debate interrupted HJ-77
3/3/2005 House Recommitted to Committee on Education and Public Works
HJ-54
5/4/2005 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education and
Public Works HJ-175
5/12/2005 House Debate adjourned until Tuesday, May 17, 2005 HJ-64
5/18/2005 House Amended HJ-87
5/18/2005 House Read second time HJ-117
5/18/2005 House Roll call Yeas-81 Nays-34 HJ-118
5/19/2005 House Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments
HJ-58
5/20/2005 Scrivener's error corrected
5/26/2005 Senate House amendment amended SJ-341
5/26/2005 Senate Returned to House with amendments SJ-341
5/27/2005 Scrivener's error corrected
5/31/2005 House Non-concurrence in Senate amendment HJ-74
5/31/2005 Senate Senate insists upon amendment and conference committee
appointed Ritchie, Lourie, and Ryberg SJ-10
5/31/2005 House Conference committee appointed Reps. Townsend, Owens,
and Govan HJ-102
5/31/2005 Senate Conference report received and adopted SJ-12
6/1/2005 House Conference report received and adopted HJ-5
6/1/2005 House Ordered enrolled for ratification HJ-12
6/2/2005 Ratified R 159
6/9/2005 Became law without Governor's signature
6/14/2005 Copies available
6/14/2005 Effective date See Act for Effective Date
6/16/2005 Act No. 147
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/8/2004
1/19/2005
1/20/2005
1/25/2005
1/26/2005
1/27/2005
2/1/2005
2/23/2005
3/2/2005
5/4/2005
5/18/2005
5/20/2005
5/26/2005
5/27/2005
6/1/2005
(A147, R159, S1)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-6450, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A FINE FOR A VIOLATION OF THE LAW MUST NOT BE WAIVED AND TO PROVIDE THAT COURT COSTS, ASSESSMENTS, OR SURCHARGES MAY NOT BE ASSESSED AGAINST A PERSON WHO VIOLATES A PROVISION RELATING TO THE USE OF A CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM; TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-6525, RELATING TO LIMITS ON THE USE OF CHECKPOINTS OR ROADBLOCKS TO ENFORCE THE STATE'S MANDATORY USE OF SAFETY BELT PROVISIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON MUST NOT BE ISSUED A CITATION AT ANY CHECKPOINT ESTABLISHED TO STOP ALL DRIVERS ON A ROAD FOR A PERIOD OF TIME FOR REMOVING THEIR SAFETY BELTS IN ORDER TO RETRIEVE DOCUMENTATION THAT MUST BE PRODUCED AT THE CHECKPOINT; TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-6530, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO EXCEPTIONS TO THE MANDATORY USE OF SAFETY BELTS AND CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A DRIVER OR OCCUPANT FREQUENTLY STOPPING OR LEAVING A MOTOR VEHICLE FOR PICK UP OR DELIVERY PURPOSES, OCCUPANTS OF THE BACK SEAT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND CERTAIN CHILDREN UNDER SIX YEARS OF AGE ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM THE SAFETY BELT REQUIREMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-6540, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE SAFETY BELT LAW AND CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A VIOLATION OF THE PROVISIONS RELATING TO SAFETY BELT USE MUST BE REPORTED TO THE OFFENDER'S MOTOR VEHICLE INSURER, TO PROVIDE THAT A VEHICLE, DRIVER, OR OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE MUST NOT BE SEARCHED PURSUANT TO THIS PROVISION, TO PROVIDE THAT A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER MUST NOT ISSUE A CITATION TO A DRIVER OR PASSENGER UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE FOR THE PRIMARY ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROVISIONS THAT REQUIRE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS OF A MOTOR VEHICLE TO BE RESTRAINED BY A SAFETY BELT, TO PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS PROVISION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF A DECISION RENDERED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION; TO ADD SECTION 56-5-6560 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANYTIME A MOTOR VEHICLE IS STOPPED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WITHOUT A CITATION BEING ISSUED OR AN ARREST BEING MADE, THE OFFICER WHO INITIATED THE STOP MUST COMPLETE A DATA COLLECTION FORM THAT CONTAINS CERTAIN INFORMATION THAT MUST BE PLACED IN A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY DATABASE, TO PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO WITHHOLD CERTAIN FUNDS FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THIS SECTION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE REVIEW OF THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION BY CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO ADD SECTION 56-5-6565 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO CREATE AWARENESS OF THE STATE'S SAFETY BELT LAWS AND TO INCREASE SAFETY BELT USE; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 56-5-6430, RELATING TO EXEMPTING CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLE PASSENGERS FROM WEARING A VEHICLE RESTRAINT DEVICE.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Custodial arrest
SECTION 1. Section 56-5-6450 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-5-6450. A person shall not be subjected to a custodial arrest for violating the provisions of this article. A person adjudicated to be in violation of the provisions of this article must be fined not more than twenty-five dollars, no part of which may be suspended. Court costs, assessments, or surcharges may not be assessed against a person who violates a provision of this article."
'Click It or Ticket'
SECTION 2. Section 56-5-6525 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 65 of 2001, is amended to read:
"Section 56-5-6525. (A) The Department of Public Safety or any other law enforcement agency must not use a 'Click It or Ticket' campaign or a similar endeavor of systematic checkpoints or roadblocks as a law enforcement tool where the principal purpose is to detect and issue a ticket to a violator of the provisions of this article on either a primary or secondary basis.
(B) A person must not be issued a citation at any checkpoint established to stop all drivers on a certain road for a period of time for removing their seatbelts in order to retrieve documentation that must be produced at the checkpoint."
Safety belt exceptions
SECTION 3. Section 56-5-6530 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 65 of 2001, is further amended to read:
"Section 56-5-6530. The provisions of this article do not apply to:
(1) a driver or occupant who possesses a written verification from a physician that he is unable to wear a safety belt for physical or medical reasons;
(2) medical or rescue personnel attending to injured or sick individuals in an emergency vehicle when operating in an emergency situation as well as the injured or sick individuals;
(3) school, church, or day care buses;
(4) public transportation vehicles except taxis;
(5) occupants of vehicles in parades;
(6) United States mail carriers;
(7) an occupant for which no safety belt is available because all belts are being used by other occupants;
(8) a driver or occupants in a vehicle not originally equipped with safety belts."
Primary enforcement of safety belt provisions
SECTION 4. Section 56-5-6540 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 65 of 2001, is further amended to read:
"Section 56-5-6540. (A) A person who is adjudicated to be in violation of the provisions of this article must be fined not more than twenty-five dollars, no part of which may be suspended. No court costs, assessments, or surcharges may be assessed against a person who violates a provision of this article. A person must not be fined more than fifty dollars for any one incident of one or more violations of the provisions of this article. A custodial arrest for a violation of this article must not be made, except upon a warrant issued for failure to appear in court when summoned or for failure to pay an imposed fine. A violation of this article does not constitute a criminal offense. Notwithstanding Section 56-1-640, a violation of this article must not be:
(1) included in the offender's motor vehicle records maintained by the Department of Motor Vehicles or in the criminal records maintained by SLED; or
(2) reported to the offender's motor vehicle insurer.
(B) A law enforcement officer must not issue a citation to a driver or a passenger for a violation of this article when the stop is made in conjunction with a driver's license check, safety check, or registration check conducted at a checkpoint established to stop all drivers on a certain road for a period of time, except when the driver is cited for violating another motor vehicle law. The driver and any passenger shall be required to buckle up before departing the checkpoint and should the driver or the passenger refuse, then the person refusing may be charged with a primary violation.
(C) A violation of this article is not negligence per se or contributory negligence, and is not admissible as evidence in a civil action.
(D) A vehicle, driver, or occupant in a vehicle must not be searched, nor may consent to search be requested by a law enforcement officer, solely because of a violation of this article.
(E) A law enforcement officer must not stop a driver for a violation of this article except when the officer has probable cause that a violation has occurred based on his clear and unobstructed view of a driver or an occupant of the motor vehicle who is not wearing a safety belt or is not secured in a child restraint system as required by Article 47 of this chapter.
(F) A person charged with a violation of this article may admit or deny the violation, enter a plea of nolo contendere, or be tried before either a judge or a jury. If the trier of fact is convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the person was not wearing a safety belt at the time of the incident, the penalty is a civil fine pursuant to Section 56-5-6540. If the trier of fact determines that the State has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person was not wearing a safety belt, no penalty shall be assessed.
(G) A person found to be in violation of this article may bring an appeal to the court of common pleas pursuant to Section 18-3-10 or Section 14-25-95."
Collection of data
SECTION 5. Article 48, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 56-5-6560. (A) Any time a motor vehicle is stopped by a state or local law enforcement officer without a citation being issued or an arrest being made, the officer who initiated the stop must complete a data collection form designed by the Department of Public Safety that must include information regarding the age, gender, and race or ethnicity of the driver of the vehicle. This information may be gathered and transmitted electronically under the supervision of the department which shall develop and maintain a database storing the information collected. The department must promulgate rules and regulations with regard to the collection and submission of the information gathered.
(B) The Department of Public Safety shall develop and maintain a database for the information submitted to the department under subsection (A) and prepare a report to be posted on the department's website regarding motor vehicle stops using the collected information.
(C) The General Assembly shall have the authority to withhold any state funds or federal pass-through funds from any state or local law enforcement agency that fails to comply with the requirements of this section.
(D) This section must be reviewed by the Senate Transportation Committee and the House of Representatives Education and Public Works Committee during the 2010 Session of the General Assembly. The committees must make recommendations of appropriate changes, if any, to this section before the end of the 2010 Session."
Safety belt education programs
SECTION 6. Chapter 5 of Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 56-5-6565. (A) The Department of Public Safety shall develop and implement education programs designed to create awareness of the state's safety belt laws and to increase safety belt use in rural and ethnically diverse areas throughout the State. The Department of Public Safety, when securing consultant, contractor, and subcontractor services for developing and implementing programs related to safety belt laws, shall select providers that have experience working with the communities the provider is procured to target. The Department of Public Safety shall confer with members of the targeted communities for input on the development of effective safety education programs and on the identification of providers that have the appropriate experience with the targeted communities.
(B) The Department of Transportation may develop additional programs to promote safety belt use or may coordinate with the Department of Public Safety to fund and carry out the programs jointly. If there is coordination between the two departments, the Department of Public Safety has final authority on all issues including, but not limited to, program content and dissemination, allocation of funds, and procurement procedures.
(C) The Department of Public Safety may use available federal funds or private sector contributions to meet the requirements of subsection (A). The General Assembly may provide funds to supplement federal or private sector funds used by the Department of Public Safety or the Department of Transportation to develop and implement the programs described in subsection (A). The General Assembly shall provide the Department of Public Safety the funds necessary to meet the requirements of subsection (A), if federal or private sector funds are unavailable."
Repeal
SECTION 7. Section 56-5-6430 of the 1976 Code is repealed.
Time effective
SECTION 8. This act takes effect six months after the date of approval by the Governor except the requirements of SECTION 5 relating to the Department of Public Safety take effect on July 1, 2006, and the requirements of SECTION 5 relating to local law enforcement take effect July 1, 2007.
Ratified the 2nd day of June, 2005.
Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 6/9/05.
This web page was last updated on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 3:23 P.M.