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TO AMEND SECTION 56-2-105, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF GOLF CART DECALS, THE REGISTRATION OF GOLF CARTS, AND THE OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS ALONG THE STATE'S HIGHWAYS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE GOLF CART PERMIT DECAL AND REGISTRATION FEE MUST BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND TOURISM AND USED TO ESTABLISH EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAMS REGARDING THE USE OF GOLF CARTS IN GOLF CART VACATION COMMUNITIES, AND TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES MAY ADOPT ORDINANCES THAT ALLOW GOLF CARTS TO BE OPERATED AT NIGHT.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 56-2-105 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 86 of 2015, is further amended to read:
"Section 56-2-105. (A) For the purposes of this section, 'gated community' means any homeowners' community with at least one access-controlled ingress and egress which includes the presence of a guard house, a mechanical barrier, or another method of controlled conveyance.
(B) An individual or business owner of a vehicle commonly known as a golf cart may obtain a permit decal and registration from the Department of Motor Vehicles upon presenting proof of ownership and liability insurance for the golf cart and upon payment of a five dollar fee. This fee must be distributed to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism and used to establish education and awareness programs regarding the use of golf carts in golf cart vacation communities.
(1) During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be operated within four miles of the address on the registration certificate and only on a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or less.
(2) During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be operated within four miles of a point of ingress and egress to a gated community and only on a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or less.
(3) During daylight hours only, within four miles of the registration holder's address, and while traveling along a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or less, a permitted golf cart may cross a highway or street at an intersection where the highway has a posted speed limit of more than thirty-five miles an hour.
(4) During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be operated along a secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or less on an island not accessible by a bridge designed for use by automobiles.
(C) A person operating a permitted golf cart must be at least sixteen years of age and hold a valid driver's license. The operator of a permitted golf cart being operated on a highway or street must have in his possession:
(1) the registration certificate issued by the department;
(2) proof of liability insurance for the golf cart; and
(3) his driver's license.
(D)(1) A golf cart permit must be replaced with a new permit every five years, or at the time the permit holder changes his address.
(2) Golf cart owners holding golf cart permits on or before October 1, 2012, will have until September 30, 2015, to obtain a replacement permit.
(E)(1) A political subdivision may, on designated streets or roads within the political subdivision's jurisdiction, reduce the area in which a permitted golf cart may operate from four miles to no less than two miles.
(2) A political subdivision may, on primary highways, secondary highways, streets, or roads within the political subdivision's jurisdiction, create separate golf cart paths on the shoulder of its primary highways, secondary highways, streets and roads for the purpose of golf cart transportation, if:
(a) the political subdivision obtains the necessary approvals, if any, to create the golf cart paths; and
(b) the golf cart path is:
(i) separated from the traffic lanes by a hard concrete curb;
(ii) separated from the traffic lanes by parking spaces; or
(iii) separated from the traffic lanes by a distance of four feet or more.
(3) A political subdivision may not reduce or otherwise amend the other restrictions placed on the operation of a permitted golf cart contained in this section.
(F) The provisions of this section that restrict the use of a golf cart to certain streets, certain hours, and certain distances shall not apply to a golf cart used by a public safety agency in connection with the performance of its duties.
(G) Notwithstanding the provisions contained in subsection (B):
(1) a municipality located within a county that has a barrier island may adopt an ordinance that provides for the operation of a golf cart at night if it is equipped with working headlights and rear lights; and
(2) a county that has a barrier island may adopt an ordinance that provides for the operation of a golf cart in certain areas of the county at night if it is equipped with working headlights and rear lights."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on March 16, 2016 at 11:41 AM