Senate passes wide-ranging tort reform measure, approves several resolutions and second-reads peer-to-peer car-sharing bill

The South Carolina Senate on Thursday gave final approval to S.244, a package of technical and substantive changes affecting liability rules and related civil‑procedure provisions, and disposed of a slate of resolutions and regulations before adjourning to meet next Tuesday.

The package S.244 was read for third and final reading after floor managers described numerous technical edits, a cleanup amendment and clarifications about allocation of fault. "There is nothing substantive...it does not change the intent," said Senator Johnson (Senator from York) as he described the amendment that corrected internal cross‑references and restored specific language on contribution and joint liability. The measure was passed on third reading.

Why it matters: S.244 revises how fault is apportioned among defendants and restores language governing contribution and the mechanics of joint‑and‑several liability where the bill intends it to apply. Sponsors said the amendment also corrects numerical limits and cross‑references inserted by prior amendments — for example, raising a cited uninsured‑motorist threshold to $50,000 where the floor had previously approved that change.

Other floor action and notable items

- Peer‑to‑peer car‑sharing (S.307): The Senate advanced S.307 on second reading after floor debate and a roll‑call vote. "Unless there are further…