# South Carolina H 4249: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-1538, RELATING TO THE DEFINITIONS OF EMERGENCY SCENE MANAGEMENT, SO AS TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES, PROVIDE DRIVERS SHALL ENSURE THEIR VEHICLES ARE KEPT UNDER CONTROL WHEN APPROACHING OR PASSING OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES STOPPED ON OR NEAR THE RIGHTS OF WAY OF STREETS OR HIGHWAYS, TO PROVIDE PERSONS DRIVING VEHICLES APPROACHING OTHER STATIONARY VEHICLES DISPLAYING FLASHING HAZARD LIGHTS SHALL REDUCE THEIR SPEED, YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND MAINTAIN SAFE SPEEDS WHEN CHANGING LANES IS UNSAFE, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.

South Carolina H 4249, AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-1538, RELATING TO THE DEFINITIONS OF EMERGENCY SCENE MANAGEMENT, SO AS TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES, PROVIDE DRIVERS SHALL ENSURE THEIR VEHICLES ARE KEPT UNDER CONTROL WHEN APPROACHING OR PASSING OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES STOPPED ON OR NEAR THE RIGHTS OF WAY OF STREETS OR HIGHWAYS, TO PROVIDE PERSONS DRIVING VEHICLES APPROACHING OTHER STATIONARY VEHICLES DISPLAYING FLASHING HAZARD LIGHTS SHALL REDUCE THEIR SPEED, YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND MAINTAIN SAFE SPEEDS WHEN CHANGING LANES IS UNSAFE, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Shannon S. Erickson (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Act No. 147); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H4249-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: South Carolina H 4249
- State: South Carolina
- Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 56-5-1538, RELATING TO THE DEFINITIONS OF EMERGENCY SCENE MANAGEMENT, SO AS TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES, PROVIDE DRIVERS SHALL ENSURE THEIR VEHICLES ARE KEPT UNDER CONTROL WHEN APPROACHING OR PASSING OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES STOPPED ON OR NEAR THE RIGHTS OF WAY OF STREETS OR HIGHWAYS, TO PROVIDE PERSONS DRIVING VEHICLES APPROACHING OTHER STATIONARY VEHICLES DISPLAYING FLASHING HAZARD LIGHTS SHALL REDUCE THEIR SPEED, YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND MAINTAIN SAFE SPEEDS WHEN CHANGING LANES IS UNSAFE, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-03-27
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Act No. 147
- Sponsor: Shannon S. Erickson (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (257 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Emergency Scene Management

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Who runs an emergency scene: benefit, medium. Beginning May 15, 2026, the first responder on scene is in charge until fire or police with jurisdiction arrive. EMS manages patient care and prevents further injury. Trained paid and volunteer workers may control the scene within their training. The law also defines who counts as emergency personn…
- Drivers must slow, move over, or pay: cost, medium. Beginning May 15, 2026, you must keep control of your vehicle when you near an emergency scene or a stopped vehicle with flashing lights. You must proceed with caution and significantly reduce speed. On roads with at least four lanes, you must move to a lane not next to the stopped vehicle when it…
- Do not block emergency scenes: cost, low. Beginning May 15, 2026, motorists and bystanders must not block access to or exit from an emergency scene. You must obey responders and not interfere with their work. Keep routes clear so emergency and support vehicles can get in and out.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Shannon S. Erickson (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-29 | Senate | (Emergency Scene Management)2nd Reading | pass | 43 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-29 | House | (Emergency Scene Management)Passage of Bill | pass | 107 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-29 | House | (Emergency Scene Management)Passage of Bill | pass | 107 |   |   |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-05-26: Act No. 147 (legislature)
- 2026-05-26: Effective date 05/15/26 (legislature)
- 2026-05-15: Signed By Governor (Governor)
- 2026-05-14: Ratified R 193 (legislature)
- 2026-04-30: Read third time and enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-04-29: Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0 (Senate)
- 2026-04-29: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-04-15: Committee report: Favorable Transportation (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Introduced and read first time (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Read third time and sent to Senate (House)
- 2025-04-29: Roll call Yeas-107 Nays-0 (House)
- 2025-04-29: Read second time (House)
- 2025-04-24: Committee report: Favorable Education and Public Works (House)
- 2025-03-27: Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House)
- 2025-03-27: Introduced and read first time (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced: [HTML](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4249.htm)

## Related bills

- S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO INSTEAD ENFORCE AE STANDARDS IN GEORGETOWN COUNTY'S FLOOD DAMA… (became law)
- S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATIO… (signed)
- H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD BY WHICH PERSONS FILE TO BECOME A CANDI… (signed)
- S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, RELATING TO DETERMINATION OF RATES OF TUITION AND FEES, DESIGNATED AS RE… (signed)
- S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RECEIVE A MONTHLY LEGISLATIVE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS; TO PROVID… (signed)
- H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING AS PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTER 3, TITLE 61 TO MAY 1, 2026. (signed)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4249.htm)

## Related
- [S 0623: AN ACT TO EXEMPT GEORGETOWN COUNTY FROM CERTAIN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS AND TO AL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0623-2025-2026)
- [S 0586: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 172 OF 1995, RELATING TO THE KERSHAW COUNTY TRANSPORTATION…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0586-2025-2026)
- [H 5653: AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 843 OF 1952, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LEE COUNTY BOARD O…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5653-2025-2026)
- [S 1062: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE REGULATIONS OF THE STATE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDU…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S1062-2025-2026)
- [S 0779: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL RE…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0779-2025-2026)
- [H 5261: A JOINT RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H5261-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-H4249-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).