S 248 South Carolina Senate · 2021-2022 Regular Session

SC Hands-free Act

Summary
A BILL TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA HANDS-FREE ACT"; TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-3890 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE UNLAWFUL USE OF A WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE, TO REVISE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH IT IS UNLAWFUL TO USE A WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING AND PROVIDE PENALTIES, AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL REVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-720 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO POINTS THAT MAY BE ASSESSED AGAINST A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVING VIOLATIONS, TO PROVIDE THAT A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING IS A TWO-POINT VIOLATION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL NOTIFY MOTORISTS OF THE HANDS-FREE REQUIREMENTS AT CERTAIN POINTS ALONG THE STATE'S INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS; AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2021
Committee Review
Mar 2022
Senate Passage
Feb 2022
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2021 Last action Mar 1, 2022
Floor votes · Senate Feb 23, 2022

How they voted

363
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 42
Feb 23, 2022
D Democratic14
12 Yea 2
85% Yea
I Independent1
1 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican27
23 Yea 3 Nay 1
85% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
5
Committee
4
Amendments
2
Mar 1, 2022
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
lower
Mar 1, 2022
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
Feb 24, 2022
Upper · Passed
Read third time and sent to House
upper
Feb 23, 2022
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Feb 23, 2022
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (36-3-3)
senate
Feb 22, 2022
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment Adopted
upper
Jan 25, 2022
Upper · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Transportation
upper
Jan 12, 2021
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation
upper
Jan 12, 2021
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
upper
Dec 9, 2020
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation
upper
9 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors