South Carolina H 3171: Maddie's Law

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3171 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 11, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3171

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 ENACTING 
"MADDIE'S LAW" BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-2915 SO AS TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF 
"RECKLESS DRIVING WITH GREAT BODILY INJURY" AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES; AND BY 
AMENDING SECTION 56-5-2910, RELATING TO RECKLESS VEHICULAR HOMICIDE, SO AS TO 
INCREASE THE PENALTIES.

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

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Maddie's Law."

SECTION 2. Article 23, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
56-5-2915. (A) A person who drives 
a motor vehicle in a manner as to indicate either a wilful or wonton disregard 
for the safety of persons or property, and the driving of the motor vehicle 
causes great bodily injury to another person, is guilty of reckless driving resulting 
in great bodily injury and, upon conviction, must be punished by a mandatory 
fine of not more than seven thousand five hundred dollars or a term of 
imprisonment of not more than seven years, or both. The Department of Motor 
Vehicles shall revoke for two years the driver's license of a person convicted 
of reckless driving with great bodily injury.

 (B) 
As used in this section, "great bodily injury" means bodily injury which 
creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious permanent 
disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the functions of any bodily 
member or organ.

 (C) 
After one year of a conviction and release from imprisonment, the person may 
petition the court to lift the second year's suspension of his driver's license 
upon good cause shown.

SECTION 3. Section 56-5-2910(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (A) When the death of a person ensues 
within three years as a proximate result of injury received by the driving of a 
vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others, the person operating the 
vehicle is guilty of reckless vehicular homicide. A person who is convicted of, 
pleads guilty to, or pleads nolo contendere to reckless vehicular homicide is 
guilty of a felony, and must be fined not less than one thousand dollars nor 
more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than ten fifteen years, or both. 
The Department of Motor Vehicles shall revoke for five years the driver's license 
of a person convicted of reckless vehicular homicide.

SECTION 4. The repeal or amendment by this act 
of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect 
pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, 
discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred 
under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision 
shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws 
repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full 
force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, 
civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as 
of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, 
penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or 
amended laws.

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 11, 2024 at 12:05 PM