South Carolina General Assembly
123rd Session, 2019-2020

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

H. 4700

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. Gilliard
Document Path: l:\council\bills\gt\5746cm20.docx

Introduced in the House on January 14, 2020
Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary

Summary: Traffic stops

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11/20/2019  House   Prefiled
  11/20/2019  House   Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   1/14/2020  House   Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 71)
   1/14/2020  House   Referred to Committee on Judiciary 
                        (House Journal-page 71)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

11/20/2019

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

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-4415 SO AS TO PROVIDE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER MAY NOT STOP A VEHICLE OPERATING WITH A BROKEN OR INOPERABLE TAIL LAMP, OR ANY OTHER MECHANICAL DEFECT, BUT MUST ISSUE THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE VEHICLE A TICKET FOR THE VIOLATION BY WAY OF THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE, AND TO PROVIDE THE TICKET MUST BE DISMISSED IF THE REGISTERED OWNER PROVIDES PROOF TO THE COURT PRIOR TO THE HEARING DATE THAT THE DEFECT HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

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

SECTION    1.    Article 35, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 56-5-4415.    Notwithstanding another provision of law, a law enforcement officer who observes a motor vehicle operating with a broken or inoperable tail lamp or any other mechanical defect may not stop the vehicle but must video record the license plate of the vehicle. The video record of the license plate must be used by the law enforcement officer to issue a ticket for operating an unsafe or improperly equipped vehicle to the registered owner of the vehicle by way of the United States Postal Service. However, the ticket must be dismissed if the registered owner of the vehicle provides proof to the court prior to the hearing date that the defect has been corrected."

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

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This web page was last updated on January 15, 2020 at 2:08 PM