South Carolina S 739: Ride-hailing services and transportation network companies

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 739 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 21, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 739

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 
16-5-5 SO AS TO DEFINE PERSON, FUNDING ENTITY, AND RIOT; BY AMENDING SECTION 
16-5-90, RELATING TO PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY OWNER'S RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST 
PARTICIPANTS IN MOB OR RIOT RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, SO AS TO INCLUDE 
ACTIONS AGAINST A FUNDING ENTITY AND ESTABLISH A FUNDING ENTITY IS RESPONSIBLE 
FOR DAMAGES TO PROPERTY; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-5-130, RELATING TO PENALTIES 
FOR INSTIGATING, AIDING, OR PARTICIPATING IN RIOT, SO AS TO INCLUDE FUNDING OR 
PROVIDING MATERIALS AS PART OF OFFENSE; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-5-140, RELATING 
TO ENFORCEMENT OF CHAPTER, SO AS TO PERMIT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, SOLICITORS, OR 
THEIR DESIGNEES TO INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST FUNDING ENTITIES UNDER SECTION 
17-25-322; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 16-7-20, RELATING TO POWERS OF LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, SO AS TO PERMIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CALLED TO DUTY 
BY THE GOVERNOR UNDER SECTION 1-3-450 DUE TO RIOT OR UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLAGE TO USE 
DYE OR PAINT TO IDENTIFY A PERSON THAT MAY BE CHARGED UNDER SECTION 16-5-130.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 5, Title 16 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
16-5-5. For purposes of this chapter:

 (1) 
"Person" means an individual or a funding entity.

 (2) 
"Funding entity" means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited 
partnership, limited liability partnership, or a nonprofit organization that 
funds or provides material support with the intention of instigating, aiding, 
or participating in a riot.

 (3) 
"Riot" means a tumultuous disturbance of the peace by three or more persons 
assembled together with the intent mutually to assist each other against anyone 
who opposes them and to put their design into execution in a terrific and 
violent manner, whether the object is lawful or not. Riot includes but is not 
limited to a violent protest.

SECTION 2. Section 16-5-90 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
16-5-90. (A) 
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the person whose property 
is so injured or destroyed from having and maintaining his action against every 
person or funding entity engaged or participating 
in such mob or riot to recover full damages for any injury sustained; 
provided, however, that no damages shall be recovered by such person against 
any of such rioters for the same injury for which compensation shall be made by 
the county.

 (B) For actions against a funding 
entity, the funding entity is solely responsible for the damages incurred 
during a mob or riot where the funding entity provided materials to or for the 
mob or riot.

SECTION 3. Section 16-5-130 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
16-5-130. (A) A person who is convicted of riot, or of participating 
in a riot, either by being personally present, or by instigating, promoting, funding, providing materials, or aiding the same, is 
guilty of a:

 (1) felony and must be imprisoned not 
more than five years or fined not more than one thousand dollars, or both, if 
the purpose of the assembly, or of the acts done or threatened or intended by 
the persons engaged, is to resist the enforcement of a statute of this State, 
or of the United States, or to obstruct any public officer of this State, or of 
the United States, in serving or executing any process or other mandate of a 
court of competent jurisdiction, or in the performance of any other duty; or 
if the offender carries, at the time of the riot, firearms, or any other 
dangerous weapon, or is disguised;

 (2) misdemeanor and must be imprisoned 
not more than two years or fined not more than five hundred dollars, or both, 
if the offender directs, advises, encourages, or solicits other persons, 
present or participating in the riot or assembly, to acts of force or violence;

 (3) misdemeanor and must be imprisoned 
not more than two years or fined not more than two hundred and fifty dollars, 
or both, in any case, not embraced within the foregoing subdivisions of this 
section.

 (B) This section must not 
be construed to prevent the peaceable assembling of persons for lawful purposes 
of protest or petition.

SECTION 4. Section 16-5-140 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
16-5-140. (A) Sheriffs, constables and other officers in the several 
circuits or counties vested with powers of arresting, imprisoning and bailing 
offenders against the laws of this State shall institute proceedings against 
every person who shall violate the provisions of this chapter and cause them to 
be arrested, imprisoned or bailed, as the case may require, fo