S 222 South Carolina Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Utility terrain vehicle

Summary
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING ARTICLE 5 TO CHAPTER 2, TITLE 56 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "UTILITY TERRAIN VEHICLE (UTV)" AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION AND OPERATION OF UTV'S ON THE HIGHWAYS AND STREETS OF THE STATE; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-1-10, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM "OFF-ROAD USE ONLY"; BY AMENDING SECTION 38-77-30, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM "INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE PASSENGER AUTOMOBILE" TO INCLUDE CERTAIN UTV'S; BY ADDING SECTION 56-2-5140 SO AS TO PROVIDE FARMERS HOLDING SCATE CARDS AND DRIVER'S LICENSES MAY OPERATE CERTAIN UTV'S WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 56-3-630, RELATING TO PRIVATE PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLES, SO AS TO CLASSIFY UTV'S AS PRIVATE PASSENGER MOTOR VEHICLES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-2-90, RELATING TO THE OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS, SO AS TO EXEMPT CERTAIN MINOR PASSENGERS FROM WEARING SAFETY BELTS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS DURING CERTAIN ATHLETIC EVENTS. - RATIFIED TITLE
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
May 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Jan 15, 2025 Signed May 18, 2026
Floor votes · Senate May 5, 2026 · House May 12, 2026

How they voted

3013
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 45
May 5, 2026
D Democratic12
12 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican33
18 Yea 13 Nay 2
54% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
26
Key actions
12
Committee
4
Amendments
5
May 18, 2026
Signed into law
Signed By Governor
legislature
May 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Concurred in House amendment and enrolled
upper
May 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments
lower
May 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
May 12, 2026
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (100-3-11)
house
May 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
Recalled from Committee on Education and Public Works
lower
May 6, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
lower
May 6, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
May 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and sent to House
upper
May 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Apr 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Apr 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Apr 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment Adopted
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Transportation
upper
Jan 15, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation
upper
Jan 15, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors