MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – In the past few years, several bills have been introduced in the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate to regulate golf carts and mopeds.
In 2015, a bill by Senator Greg Hembree, who represents the citizens of Horry and Dillon Counties, passed both the House and Senate but was vetoed by Nikki Haley.
However, a new bill pre-filed by Representative Alan Clemmons, who represents Horry County, would give the power to make change to local, elected officials.
“It’s a different approach,” said Clemmons who said unregulated mopeds and golf carts can be very dangerous. “I’ve promoted this sort of safety issue before the General Assembly and every time I’ve been pushed back by folks that don’t understand the dynamics that we have here along the coast.”
He said those other lawmakers argue mopeds are relied upon for people to get to work.
“I have responses to that [argument],” added Clemmons. “However, my responses have not carried the day, so far, to create statewide legislation on that issue.”
This new bill will allow counties to make their own ordinances and if a county doesn’t have anything on the books a city can enact them as well.
“It may include limiting those vehicles to certain speed limit brackets, it may involve, in the case of rental vehicles which this legislation is aimed at, requiring insurance be provided of certain limits,” said Clemmons. “Or something I advocated for on a statewide level, that the bright orange vest be required so you can see those slow-moving vehicles from a distance.”
Clemmons said he believes this is a way to get local elected officials involved in this process since Horry County and Myrtle Beach see more mopeds than other places around the state.
“One of the biggest traffic problems we have on our roads are rental golf carts and rental mopeds,” he said. “I think this is a common sense way to protect our public.”
Clemmons said the idea for the bill came from Mayor-elect Brenda Bethune. News13 has reached out to Bethune to ask what ordinances she would like to see enacted if this bill becomes law.
The House of Representatives meets for the 2018 session in January.
