Current South Carolina Bills of Interest to Bikers

Written November 19, 2005 by FastFred

2260 bills have been introduced thus far in our current legislative session. Our legislators do not have time to read all of these bills; they rely on citizen lobbyists and paid lobbyists for information about the bills. If you do not contact your legislators then they will rely upon paid lobbyists to make up their minds. Paid lobbyists do not care about liberty or your interests; paid lobbyists only care about their own bank accounts.

The current South Carolina Legislative Session 116 will end in June 2006. However the session is far from over. There are currently nine bills that may impact your motorcycle taxes. Three of the bills may help reduce taxes on your bike while six others would further increase taxes on your bike. Bills impacting motorcycle taxes include H 4261, S 69, S 262, S 484, S 485, H 3583, H 3664, H 3693, and H 4011. Three additional bills address discrimination of motorcyclists and include S 772, H 3049, and H 3146. Proper carry of a loaded handgun on a motorcycle is cover by H 3110. Three bills written to combat youth gangs are targeting motorcyclists and include S79, S 265, and H 3119. Finally S 213 may benefit off-road riders. Each bill is briefly summarized below; more information is available at abatesc.com/legislative and scstatehouse.net.

H 4261 Summary: Eliminates personal property tax on private passenger vehicles and motorcycles but increases Sales and use tax by 1%. Sponsored by Toole, Bingham, E.H. Pitts and Haley. Currently resides in the House Committee on Ways and Means.

S 69 Summary: Reduces property tax of homes and personal property tax on private passenger vehicles and motorcycles but increases Sales and use tax by 2%. Sponsored by By Thomas, McConnell, Cromer, Knotts, Hawkins, Grooms, O'Dell, Fair, Mescher, Bryant and Verdin. Currently resides in the Senate Committee on Finance.

S 261 Summary: Definition of pickup trucks for purposes of registration and titling; property tax exemption for motorcycles. Sponsored by Knotts, Mescher and Cromer. Currently resides in the Senate Committee on Finance.

S 484 Summary: Provides no relief of personal property tax on motorcycles and increases sales tax by 1% and maximum sales tax from $300 to $1,000. This would likely increase the cost of your next motorcycle by $700. Currently resides in the Senate Committee on Finance.

S 485 Summary: Provides no relief of personal property tax on motorcycles and increases sales tax by 2% and maximum sales tax from $300 to $1,000. This would likely increase the cost of your next motorcycle by $700. Currently resides in the Senate Committee on Finance.

H 3583 Summary: Provides no relief of personal property tax on motorcycles and increases sales tax by 2.5% and maximum sales tax from $300 to $1,000. This would likely increase the cost of your next motorcycle by $700. Currently resides in the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H 3664 Summary: Provides no relief of personal property tax on motorcycles and increases sales tax by 2.5% and maximum sales tax from $300 to $1,000. This would likely increase the cost of your next motorcycle by $700. Currently resides in the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H 3693 Summary: Provides no relief of personal property tax on motorcycles and increases sales tax by 2% and maximum sales tax from $300 to $1,000. This would likely increase the cost of your next motorcycle by $700. Currently resides in the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H 4011 Summary: Provides no relief of personal property tax on motorcycles and increases sales tax by 2.5% and maximum sales tax from $300 to $1,000. This would likely increase the cost of your next motorcycle by $700. Currently resides in the House Committee on Ways and Means.

S 772 Summary: Eliminates the discriminatorily enforced motorcycle handlebar height law. Introduced by Mescher and currently resides in the Senate Committee on Transportation.

H 3049 Summary: Prevents discrimination based on ownership or operation of motorcycle or wearing of clothing associated with ownership. Introduced by J. Brown and Clark and currently resides in the House Committee on Judiciary

H 3146 Summary: Public accommodations may not discriminate against a person for ownership or association with ownership of motorcycle. Sponsored by J. Brown, Clark and Whipper. Currently resides in the House Committee on Judiciary

H 3110 Summary: Concealable Weapons permit from another state is valid. A person on a motorcycle is legal when the pistol is secured in a closed saddlebag or other similar closed accessory. Currently resides in Conference Committee made up of Ritchie, Knotts, Alexander, MA Pitts, JE Smith, and Herbkersman.

S 79 Summary: Criminal Street Gang Prevention Act that names outlaw motorcycle gangs and erodes rights. Introduced by Knotts, Elliott and Setzler and currently resides in the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

S 265 Summary: Criminal Street Gang Prevention Act that names outlaw motorcycle gangs and erodes rights. Sponsored by Leatherman, Setzler, Alexander, Courson, Drummond, Anderson, Williams and Knotts. Currently resides in the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

H 3119 Summary: Criminal Street Gang Prevention Act that names outlaw motorcycle gangs and erodes rights. Sponsored by Harrison, Lucas, G.R. Smith, Barfield, Kirsh, Leach, Hinson, Clark, Bales, Simrill, Toole and Whipper. Currently resides in Committee on Judiciary

H 3058 Summary: Provides Motorcycle special handicap license tags. This bill is not needed as these tags are currently available. Introduced by J. Brown, Clyburn, Clark and Toole and currently resides in the House Committee on Education and Public Works

S 213 Summary: Create an interagency study committee to provide opportunities for trails on state owned or leased or privately owned land for off-road motorcycle and all terrain vehicle recreation activity.