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Panel advances bill to criminalize organized street takeovers, allow vehicle seizure
Summary
A legislative subcommittee advanced the Roadway Protection and Safety Act (bill 42 92), which would criminalize organized street takeovers, create offenses for organizers/aiders, and allow seizure or forfeiture of heavily modified vehicles; law‑enforcement witnesses backed the bill but senators asked staff to tighten intent and passenger language.
A legislative subcommittee voted to send the Roadway Protection and Safety Act (bill 42 92) to the full committee after witnesses and the bill sponsor described growing safety problems from coordinated "street takeovers." Representative Martin, who introduced the bill, said it would criminalize the organization and participation in coordinated roadway obstructions and would target participants, organizers and those who aid them.
"If you go on your phones and go on Instagram or Facebook and just type street takeover, you're gonna see thousands of videos of young people ... it's a coordinated effort by hundreds of people," Representative Martin said, describing the events as creating "a huge safety hazard across our state." He told the panel the bill is intended to fill a coordination gap not covered by racing or roadway‑blocking statutes.
Miss Baker summarized the measure for the committee: it defines street takeovers, lists escalating penalties for participants and organizers, establishes seizure authority for vehicles used in the crime (including vehicles modified with illegal street equipment), and allows cases to be heard at the municipal or magistrate level except in instances involving flight, endangerment, severe injury or death.
Sally Foster, director of the South Carolina Sheriffs Association, and JJ Jones of the South Carolina Police Chiefs Association testified in support, describing incidents in multiple counties and saying agencies have requested authority to seize vehicles that are no longer street legal. "These folks are dropping tens of thousands of dollars into these cars, making them no longer street legal," Foster said.
Senators on the panel pressed on how the bill treats passengers. The senator from Charleston asked whether a passenger who unknowingly ends up at a takeover could be criminally charged. Representative Martin and staff said they had added intentional language and multiple revisions to avoid sweeping in bystanders; the panel discussed moving the "intent to contribute" language earlier in the definition to make clear that guilt requires purposeful intent to join the takeover.
Chair instructed staff to work with the sponsor and law enforcement to refine the passenger/intent and illegal modification language before full committee consideration.
The subcommittee took a voice vote; the chair said all present voted "aye" and recorded no opposition, and the bill will move to the full committee for further work.
