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Committee weighs hands‑free driving bill tied to federal funding; debate adjourned
Summary
A hands‑free driving bill that would raise fines and broaden the ban on handheld mobile device use drew support as a safety measure and attention for an attached federal funding incentive; members voted to adjourn debate to resolve drafting points.
A proposal to expand the state’s distracted‑driving law and increase fines passed initial committee procedural steps but was set aside for further drafting after members raised questions about scope and enforcement.
Mr. Britton presented the hands‑free measure (identified in testimony as bill 32‑76) and explained that current law imposes a $25 fine for texting while driving; the bill would raise the first‑offense fine to $100 and the second‑offense fine to $200 and broaden the prohibition to “any kind of mobile device that you're using with your hands.” Britton told the panel the subcommittee removed license‑point accumulation and, at the DMV’s request, set a one‑year delayed effective date for implementation.
“While that is not the main purpose of the goal, it is a nice little treat to have on there as well,” Mr. Britton said, referring to tied federal transportation safety funding the state could access if the law meets federal standards.
Members praised the public‑safety goal while flagging drafting concerns about what it means to “hold or support” a device. Representative Bobby Pemberger asked whether commonplace behaviors — tucking a phone between legs, placing a device in a cupholder and resting a hand nearby, or using the phone to play audio during a commute — would be criminalized under the bill’s current language. Representative Britton said those concerns warranted further work. Several members also noted South Carolina’s poor statewide distracted‑driving statistics and the risk of losing federal highway‑safety funds without statutory change.
The committee adopted the subcommittee report and a Britton amendment dealing with license suspension language, then voted to adjourn debate to the next meeting to address outstanding definitions and scope. No roll‑call vote on final passage occurred during this session.
