South Carolina S 977: Smart Heart Act

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 977 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 05, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 977

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
56-1-82 SO AS to provide THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES SHALL ALLOW 
APPLICANTS FOR DRIVER'S LICENSES AND PERMITS TO TAKE THE WRITTEN PORTION OF THE 
DRIVING EXAMINATION IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH UNDER CERTAIN 
CIRCUMSTANCES.

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

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

 Section 
56-1-82. (A) If an applicant for a 
driver's license or permit is unable to speak and read the English language, 
then he may be administered the written portion of the examination in a 
language other than English.

 (B) Upon 
expiration of the restricted driver's license or permit issued pursuant to this 
section, to renew the driver's license or permit, the applicant must retake 
only the written examination that must be administered in English only. The 
applicant shall not use a translation dictionary, an electronic device, or an 
interpreter to assist with the administration of the reexamination.

 (C) 
This section does not apply to an applicant who is unable to speak the English 
language sufficiently, but is capable of reading and writing in the English 
language and presents the department a written statement from a physician that 
he has a hearing impairment that impacts his ability to speak the English 
language sufficiently.

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

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This web page was last updated on March 05, 2026 at 11:40 AM