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A24, R31, S363

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Rankin, Grooms and Verdin
Companion/Similar bill(s): 3137, 3411, 3414
Document Path: SR-0179KM23.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 10, 2023
Introduced in the House on February 16, 2023
Last Amended on May 3, 2023
Currently residing in the Senate

Summary: Carolina Squat

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date	Body	Action Description with journal page number
1/10/2023	Senate	Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 207)
1/10/2023	Senate	Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate Journal-page 207)
1/19/2023	Senate	Committee report: Favorable with amendment Transportation (Senate Journal-page 8)
1/20/2023		Scrivener's error corrected
2/2/2023	Senate	Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 20)
2/2/2023	Senate	Amended (Senate Journal-page 20)
2/14/2023	Senate	Read second time (Senate Journal-page 10)
2/14/2023	Senate	Roll call Ayes-39 Nays-2 (Senate Journal-page 10)
2/15/2023	Senate	Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 6)
2/16/2023	House	Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 21)
2/16/2023	House	Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 21)
5/2/2023	House	Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 3)
5/3/2023	House	Amended (House Journal-page 27)
5/3/2023	House	Read second time (House Journal-page 27)
5/3/2023	House	Roll call Yeas-102 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 28)
5/4/2023	House	Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments (House Journal-page 25)
5/4/2023	Senate	Concurred in House amendment and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 20)
5/4/2023	Senate	Roll call Ayes-37 Nays-1 (Senate Journal-page 20)
5/11/2023		Ratified R 31
5/16/2023		Signed By Governor
5/25/2023		Effective date 11/12/23
5/25/2023		Act No. 24

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

1/10/2023
2/2/2023
2/2/2023-A
5/2/2023
5/4/2023

(A24, R31, S363)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-4445, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON ELEVATING OR LOWERING MOTOR VEHICLES, SO AS TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES, TO PROHIBIT MOTOR VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS THAT RESULT IN THE MOTOR VEHICLES' FRONT FENDERS BEING RAISED OR LOWERED FOUR OR MORE INCHES GREATER THAN THE HEIGHT OF THE REAR FENDERS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER OF MEASURING THE HEIGHT OF THE FENDERS, TO DEFINE THE TERM "FENDER", AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.

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

Restrictions on elevating and lowering motor vehicles

SECTION 1.    Section 56-5-4445 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 56-5-4445.    (A) It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a passenger motor vehicle on the highways of this State which has been elevated or lowered, yet still leveled, more than six inches by a modification, alteration, or change in the physical structure of the vehicle. Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than fifty dollars. Provided, however, the provisions in this subsection shall not apply to motor vehicles commonly referred to as "pickup trucks".

(B)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a passenger motor vehicle, including vehicles commonly referred to as pickup trucks, on the highways of this State if, by alteration of the suspension, frame, or chassis, the height of the front fender is raised or lowered four or more inches greater than the height of the rear fender. For purposes of this subsection, the height of the fender shall be a vertical measurement from and perpendicular to the ground, through the centerline of the wheel, and to the bottom of the fender. As contained in this item, "fender" means the pressed and formed part mounted over the road wheels of a motor vehicle to reduce the splashing of mud, water, or similar substances.

(2) A person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction:

(a) for a first offense, shall be fined one hundred dollars;

(b) for a second offense, shall be fined two hundred dollars; and

(c) for a third or subsequent offense, shall be fined three hundred dollars and have his license suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles for twelve months from the date of conviction.

(3) Only offenses which occur within five years of each other, including and immediately preceding the date of the last offense, shall constitute a prior offense within the meaning of this subsection.

Time effective

SECTION 2.    This act takes effect one hundred eighty days after approval by the Governor. For a period of one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this act, only warning tickets may be issued for a violation of the provisions of this act.

Ratified the 11th day of May, 2023.

Approved the 16th day of May, 2023.

This web page was last updated on June 14, 2023 at 1:11 PM