Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Traffic Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House advances hands‑free distracted driving changes, adopts committee amendment
Summary
The South Carolina House debated a hands‑free distracted‑driving bill that would broaden the state texting ban to prohibit drivers from supporting mobile devices with their bodies or watching videos; lawmakers adopted a committee amendment and paused further debate for later consideration.
The South Carolina House of Representatives debated House Bill 32‑76 — a hands‑free distracted‑driving measure — and adopted a committee amendment that broadens the state—s existing texting prohibition to cover additional mobile‑device uses and device‑supporting by the driver.
Representative Britton, who presented the committee amendment, told the chamber the measure "increases the penalty to a hundred dollars" for a first offense, expands the ban beyond texting to include watching videos and composing emails while driving, and does not prevent voice‑activated use of phones (for example, Bluetooth) while operating a vehicle.
Supporters framed the bill as a public safety step. Representative Taylor, who described years of hearings and victims—s testimony, said the state has "had many hearings on this bill" since 2017 and urged action by recounting traffic crashes in which distracted driving was cited. Taylor urged members to consider the bill as a way to reduce avoidable deaths and injuries on state highways.
Debate opened to many members; a motion to adjourn debate was presented and then a separate motion to table that adjournment motion carried, 53‑39, returning the House to consideration of amendment 1. Later, the House voted 70‑29 to adopt amendment 1 as the committee bill. After additional remarks, Representative Taylor moved to adjourn debate; that motion passed by voice vote and the chamber recessed further consideration for the day.
Key provisions discussed include: a $100 fine for a first offense and $200 for subsequent offenses; the bill would not add license points; the Department of Motor Vehicles would keep a record of offenses; the bill seeks to avoid allowing officers to make custodial arrests for violations; probable cause standards for stops were discussed and language was adjusted to require a higher level of evidence than earlier drafts; the text of the amendment keeps voice‑activated and hands‑free Bluetooth functions lawful. Committee members also signaled concern about federal highway safety funding, with one member saying the state risked losing approximately $27,000,000 in federal funds (which could grow in future years) if enforcement and statutory language were out of compliance with federal program rules.
The bill's advocates repeatedly emphasized victim testimony heard in committee hearings. Representative Taylor cited specific crash cases from prior testimony, including a fatal I‑26 crash and a hit‑and‑run that left a bicyclist mortally injured, to illustrate harms supporters say the bill targets.
What remains: the House adopted the committee amendment and paused further debate. The transcript records the tabling vote (53‑39) and the amendment adoption (70‑29); later floor action to adjourn debate was agreed to by voice vote. The bill remains on the House calendar for further consideration under the amended language.
The House transcript records speakers and formal votes described above; additional amendments were raised during floor debate and several members requested debate on the bill before votes were taken.
