S 52 South Carolina Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Driving under the influence

Summary
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2930, RELATING TO OPERATING MOTOR VEHICLES WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS, SO AS TO AMEND THE PENALTY PROVISIONS TO PERMIT SENTENCES OF BOTH FINES AND INCARCERATION AND TO REQUIRE CONVICTED PERSONS TO ATTEND DUI VICTIM IMPACT PANELS; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2933, RELATING TO DRIVING WITH UNLAWFUL ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS, SO AS TO PERMIT SENTENCES OF BOTH FINES AND INCARCERATION AND TO REQUIRE CONVICTED PERSONS TO ATTEND DUI VICTIM IMPACT PANELS; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2941, RELATING TO IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICES, SO AS TO DELETE THE PROVISION THAT PROVIDES NOTHING IN THE SECTION REQUIRES INSTALLATION OF IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICES PRIOR TO CONTESTED CASE HEARINGS; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2945, RELATING TO THE OFFENSE OF FELONY DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF FELONY DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE SECOND DEGREE, ESTABLISH PENALTIES, AND DEFINE THE TERM "MODERATE BODILY INJURY"; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2947, RELATING TO CHILD ENDANGERMENT, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE OFFENSES OF RECKLESS VEHICULAR HOMICIDE AND RECKLESS DRIVING AS VIOLATIONS SUBJECT TO A CHARGE OF CHILD ENDANGERMENT; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2950, RELATING TO IMPLIED CONSENT TO TESTING FOR ALCOHOL OR DRUGS, SO AS TO REVISE THE CIRCUMSTANCES, PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED, AND TEST SITES THAT CAN BE USED WHEN PERSONS ARE SUBJECTED TO TESTS FOR ALCOHOL OR DRUGS, TO PROVIDE THAT LABORATORY TECHNICIANS, PHLEBOTOMISTS, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS MAY OBTAIN BLOOD OR URINE SAMPLES, TO REVISE THE PERIOD OF SUSPENSIONS OF DRIVING PRIVILEGES THAT MUST BE IMPOSED FOR FAILURE IF PERSONS REFUSE TO BE TESTED AND IF PERSONS HAVE CERTAIN ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS, TO REVISE THE PROVISION THAT ESTABLISHES ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS, AND TO DELETE THE PROVISION RELATING TO PERSONS INCAPABLE OF REFUSING TO CONSENT TO TESTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2951, RELATING TO SUSPENSION OF LICENSES FOR REFUSAL TO SUBMIT TO TESTING OR FOR CERTAIN LEVELS OF ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS ISSUED LICENSE SUSPENSIONS MAY INSTALL IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICES WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AND OBTAIN TEMPORARY DRIVERS' LICENSES WITH IGNITION INTERLOCK RESTRICTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS WHO REFUSE TO SUBMIT TO CHEMICAL TESTS MUST HAVE THEIR DRIVERS' LICENSES SUSPENDED FOR ONE YEAR FOR A FIRST OFFENSE, AND TO PROVIDE INCREASED SUSPENSIONS FOR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSES, OR IF PERSONS TAKE THE TESTS AND REGISTER ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS OF OVER FIFTEEN ONE-HUNDREDTH OF ONE PERCENT OR MORE, THAT THEIR LICENSES ARE SUSPENDED FOR TWO MONTHS; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2953, RELATING TO INCIDENT SITES AND BREATH TEST SITES FOR VIDEO RECORDING, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NOTHING IN THIS SECTION MAY BE CONSTRUED TO COMPEL OR AUTHORIZE A DISMISSAL OF A DUI OFFENSE IF THE OFFICERS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH THE STATUTE AND THAT MOTIONS FOR SUPPRESSION OF EVIDENCE UNDER THE STATUTE MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO JEOPARDY ATTACHING; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2920, RELATING TO RECKLESS DRIVING, SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSES OF FELONY RECKLESS DRIVING WITH GREAT BODILY INJURY AND RECKLESS DRIVING RESULTING IN MODERATE BODILY INJURY AND TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES; BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-2960 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS CONVICTED OF FELONY DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE CAUSING THE DEATH OR DISABILITY OF PARENTS OR GUARDIANS MAY BE ORDERED TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT AS RESTITUTION FOR THE DURATION OF ANY PROBATION ORDERED, PERFORM COMMUNITY SERVICE, OR BOTH; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-1-286, RELATING TO THE SUSPENSION OF LICENSES OR PERMITS OR THE DENIAL OF ISSUANCE OF LICENSES OR PERMITS TO PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE WHO DRIVE MOTOR VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS ISSUED NOTICES OF SUSPENSIONS MAY OBTAIN TEMPORARY LICENSES WITH IGNITION INTERLOCK RESTRICTIONS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 56-1-400, RELATING TO THE SURRENDER OF LICENSES, SO AS TO REMOVE THE PROVISION THAT NOTHING IN THIS SECTION REQUIRES PERSONS OBTAIN IGNITION INTERLOCKS UNLESS THE OFFENSES ARE ALCOHOL RELATED.
Bill status failed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
May 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Governor
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Jun 25, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Feb 4, 2026 · House Apr 30, 2026

How they voted

440
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 45
Feb 4, 2026
D Democratic12
12 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican33
32 Yea 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
44
Key actions
16
Committee
7
Amendments
9
May 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Conference committee appointed JE Johnson, Robbins, Rose
lower
May 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate insists upon amendment and conference committee appointed Hembree, Adams, Tedder
upper
May 13, 2026
Introduced
Non-concurrence in Senate amendment
lower
May 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and returned to House with amendments
upper
May 6, 2026
Amended
House amendment amended
upper
May 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments
lower
Apr 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
Apr 30, 2026
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (99-0-15)
house
Apr 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and sent to House
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (44-0-1)
senate
Feb 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Jan 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Jan 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Jan 21, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment Adopted
upper
Jan 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
upper
Jan 14, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
upper
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
upper
Dec 11, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
upper
19 primary · 0 co-sponsors

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