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H. 4731

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Howard, Bales, J. Brown, Cotty, Harrison, Lourie, J.H. Neal, Parks, Quinn, Rutherford, Scott and J.E. Smith
Document Path: l:\council\bills\swb\5804cm04.doc
Companion/Similar bill(s): 912

Introduced in the House on February 11, 2004
Introduced in the Senate on April 20, 2004
Last Amended on April 14, 2004
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Transportation

Summary: Funeral processions

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/11/2004  House   Introduced and read first time HJ-11
   2/11/2004  House   Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and 
                        Municipal Affairs HJ-11
   3/17/2004  House   Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical, 
                        Military, Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-51
   3/18/2004          Scrivener's error corrected
   3/23/2004  House   Debate adjourned until Wednesday, March 24, 2004 HJ-98
   3/24/2004  House   Debate adjourned until Thursday, March 25, 2004 HJ-14
   3/25/2004  House   Requests for debate-Rep(s). Cooper, Rice, Sandifer, 
                        Duncan, MA Pitts, Whitmire, Thompson, Young, Kennedy, 
                        Clark and Pinson HJ-12
   3/25/2004  House   Debate adjourned until Tuesday, March 30, 2004 HJ-18
   3/31/2004  House   Debate adjourned until Tuesday, April 13, 2004 HJ-24
   4/14/2004  House   Amended HJ-105
   4/14/2004  House   Read second time HJ-107
   4/14/2004  House   Roll call Yeas-37  Nays-0 HJ-107
   4/15/2004  House   Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-32
   4/15/2004          Scrivener's error corrected
   4/20/2004  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-9
   4/20/2004  Senate  Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-9

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/11/2004
3/17/2004
3/18/2004
4/14/2004
4/15/2004

AMENDED

April 14, 2004

H. 4731

Introduced by Reps. Howard, Bales, J. Brown, Cotty, Harrison, Lourie, J.H. Neal, Parks, Quinn, Rutherford, Scott and J.E. Smith

S. Printed 4/14/04--H.    [SEC 4/15/04 3:34 PM]

Read the first time February 11, 2004.

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-850 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "FUNERAL PROCESSION", AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DUTIES OF OPERATORS OF VEHICLES IN A FUNERAL PROCESSION AND NOT IN A FUNERAL PROCESSION.

Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Article 5, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 56-5-850.    (A)    As used in this section, 'funeral procession' means two or more vehicles accompanying the body of a deceased person when each vehicle has its headlights on or is displaying a pennant attached in a manner as to clearly be visible to approaching traffic, or is escorted by a law enforcement vehicle.

(B)    A vehicle in a funeral procession has the right-of-way at an intersection and may proceed through the intersection if the procession is led by an escort vehicle displaying flashing yellow, red, or blue lights, except when:

(1)    an emergency vehicle requires the right-of-way;

(2)    vehicles in the procession are directed otherwise by a law enforcement officer; or

(3)    the vehicle is a train or locomotive.

(C)    Before assuming the right-of-way, a person who drives a vehicle in a funeral procession shall exercise caution with regard to crossing traffic.

(D)    A person who drives a vehicle that is not part of a funeral procession shall not drive the vehicle between the vehicles of the funeral procession or interfere with the progress of the procession, except when the:

(1)    person is authorized to do so by a law enforcement officer; or

(2)    vehicle is an emergency vehicle.

(E)    A person who drives a vehicle that is not a part of a funeral procession shall not illuminate the vehicle headlights or engage in any other act for the purpose of securing the right-of-way granted to funeral processions.

(F)    The escort vehicle, hearse, or other vehicles in a funeral procession may be equipped with flashing amber lights for the purpose of notifying the general public of the procession and gaining the right-of-way at intersections, or signaling the end of a procession.

(G)    A person authorized to use flashing lights may use them while accompanying a funeral procession to warn traffic that a procession is approaching or that it is in progress.

(H)    When a funeral procession is in progress, a person driving a vehicle not in the procession shall not pass or overtake any vehicle in the procession unless the:

(1)    person is directed to do so by a law enforcement officer;

(2)    procession is on a street, road, or highway outside the corporate limits of a city, town, or urban-county; or

(3)    procession is on an interstate highway or a state parkway.

(I)    A person who violates this section is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

(J)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this section applies to Richland County only."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

This web page was last updated on Monday, December 7, 2009 at 10:38 A.M.