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South Carolina bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

South Carolina H 3276

SC Hands-Free Act

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the South Carolina legislature· description

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "SOUTH CAROLINA HANDS-FREE AND DISTRACTED DRIVING ACT" BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-3890, RELATING TO UNLAWFUL USE OF WIRELESS ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES WHILE OPERATING MOTOR VEHICLES, SO AS TO DELETE CERTAIN TERMS AND THEIR DEFINITIONS, TO DEFINE THE TERM "MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE," TO PROVIDE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICES MAY NOT BE USED WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE, TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING AND PROVIDE PENALTIES, TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISBURSEMENT OF FINES IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, TO PROVIDE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UPON WHICH THIS SECTION MAY BE ENFORCED, TO PROVIDE FOR THE SHARING OF CERTAIN INFORMATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND TO PROVIDE THIS SECTION IS NOT SUBJECT TO PROVISIONS RELATED TO CITIZENS ARRESTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO POINTS THAT MAY BE ASSESSED AGAINST A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVING VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING IS A TWO-POINT VIOLATION; TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL ERECT SIGNS ADVISING MOTORISTS OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE ONLY WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED FOR CERTAIN VIOLATIONS FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD; AND TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SHALL FILE A REPORT WITH CERTAIN OFFICIALS CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT PERSONS STOPPED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT. - RATIFIED TITLE

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 17, 2026, 8:27 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
May 7, 2025
House
Concur in Senate AmendmentspassSet your home in South Carolina to see
Apr 30, 2025
Senate
2nd ReadingpassSet your home in South Carolina to see
Apr 9, 2025
House
Table Amendment 7failSet your home in South Carolina to see
Apr 9, 2025
House
Passage of BillpassSet your home in South Carolina to see
Mar 27, 2025
House
Table Motion to Adjourn DebatepassSet your home in South Carolina to see
Mar 27, 2025
House
Adopt Amendment 1passSet your home in South Carolina to see

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