# South Carolina S 0585: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "SAFEGUARDING AMERICAN FAMILIES EVERYWHERE (SAFE) ACT" BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-115, RELATING TO DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING NOTATIONS ADDED TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE NOTATION "SAFE" MAY BE ADDED TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS TO INDICATE OWNERS OF VEHICLES OR OTHER PERSONS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CERTAIN DISABILITIES, AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-1910, RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES FOR HANDICAPPED PERSONS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM "HANDICAPPED" TO INCLUDE PERSONS WHO HAVE AUTISM; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-14950, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES REFLECTIVE OF MILITARY CAMPAIGN MEDALS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF "OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-14970, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF MILITARY SERVICE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF "ARMED FORCES SURVIVING SPOUSE" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.

South Carolina S 0585, AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "SAFEGUARDING AMERICAN FAMILIES EVERYWHERE (SAFE) ACT" BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-115, RELATING TO DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING NOTATIONS ADDED TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE NOTATION "SAFE" MAY BE ADDED TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS TO INDICATE OWNERS OF VEHICLES OR OTHER PERSONS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CERTAIN DISABILITIES, AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-1910, RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES FOR HANDICAPPED PERSONS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM "HANDICAPPED" TO INCLUDE PERSONS WHO HAVE AUTISM; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-14950, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES REFLECTIVE OF MILITARY CAMPAIGN MEDALS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF "OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-14970, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF MILITARY SERVICE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF "ARMED FORCES SURVIVING SPOUSE" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES., is a 126th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Deon T. Tedder (Democrat); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Act No. 125) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/SC-S0585-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: South Carolina S 0585
- State: South Carolina
- Session: 126th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "SAFEGUARDING AMERICAN FAMILIES EVERYWHERE (SAFE) ACT" BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-115, RELATING TO DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING NOTATIONS ADDED TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE NOTATION "SAFE" MAY BE ADDED TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS TO INDICATE OWNERS OF VEHICLES OR OTHER PERSONS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CERTAIN DISABILITIES, AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-1910, RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES FOR HANDICAPPED PERSONS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM "HANDICAPPED" TO INCLUDE PERSONS WHO HAVE AUTISM; BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-14950, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES REFLECTIVE OF MILITARY CAMPAIGN MEDALS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF "OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 56-3-14970, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF MILITARY SERVICE SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF "ARMED FORCES SURVIVING SPOUSE" SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-04-16
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Act No. 125
- Sponsor: Deon T. Tedder (Democrat)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (368 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Motor Vehicle Registration

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Autism can qualify for handicap parking: benefit, low. Beginning May 15, 2027, autism can qualify you for a handicap placard or plate. Your autism must cause significant safety or mobility risks in parking areas. The law adds this to the state definition of “handicapped” used for parking benefits. You must meet this risk standard, not just have a diagn…
- New military and surviving spouse plates: benefit, low. The DMV can issue two new special plates. One is for those who served in Operation Inherent Resolve. The other is for the surviving spouse of a military veteran. These plates are for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles. Each plate becomes available six months after its design is approved.
- New SAFE note on car registrations: mixed, low. Beginning May 15, 2027, you can ask the DMV to add a SAFE note to your vehicle registration. You must give an original certificate from a licensed doctor, or an audiologist for hearing loss. For hearing, the certificate must show permanent, uncorrectable loss of 40 decibels or more in one or both e…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Deon T. Tedder (Democrat), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brian Adams (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Tameika Isaac Devine (Democrat), Senate
- Cosponsor: Ed Sutton (Democrat), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jeff Zell (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-05-05 | House | (Motor Vehicle Registration)Concur in Senate Amendments | pass | 106 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-16 | House | (Motor Vehicle Registration)Passage of Bill | pass | 109 |   |   |
| 2026-04-16 | House | (Motor Vehicle Registration)Passage of Bill | pass | 109 | 0 |   |
| 2025-05-06 | Senate | (Motor Vehicle Registration)2nd Reading | pass | 44 | 0 |   |

## Actions (25)

- 2026-05-26: Act No. 125 (legislature)
- 2026-05-26: Effective date See Act for Effective Date (legislature)
- 2026-05-15: Signed By Governor (Governor)
- 2026-05-14: Ratified R 144 (legislature)
- 2026-05-05: Roll call Yeas-106 Nays-0 (House)
- 2026-05-05: Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled (House)
- 2026-05-04: Scrivener's error corrected (legislature)
- 2026-04-29: Returned to House with amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-29: House amendment amended (Senate)
- 2026-04-17: Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments (House)
- 2026-04-16: Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (House)
- 2026-04-16: Roll call Yeas-109 Nays-0 (House)
- 2026-04-16: Read second time (House)
- 2026-04-16: Amended (House)
- 2026-04-15: Scrivener's error corrected (legislature)
- 2026-04-14: Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education and Public Works (House)
- 2025-05-08: Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House)
- 2025-05-08: Introduced and read first time (House)
- 2025-05-07: Read third time and sent to House (Senate)
- 2025-05-06: Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate)
- 2025-05-06: Read second time (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Committee report: Favorable Transportation (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: Scrivener's error corrected (legislature)
- 2025-04-16: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate)
- 2025-04-16: Introduced and read first time (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced: [HTML](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/585.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/585.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-S0585-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).