SOUTH CAROLINA REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS OFFICE
S
TATEMENT OF ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT
WWW.RFA.SC.GOV • (803)734-3793
This fiscal impact statement is produced in compliance with the South Carolina Code of Laws and House and Senate rules. The focus of
the analysis is on governmental expenditure and revenue impacts and may not provide a comprehensive summary of the legislation.
Page 1 of 2
S. 0208
Fiscal Impact Summary
This bill increases the penalties for the felony offense of reckless vehicular homicide and
changes the county in which a person may petition the circuit court for reinstatement of the
person’s driver’s license from the county of the person’s residence to the county of the person’s
conviction. The bill also creates the new offense of felony reckless driving, specifies the
penalties of the new offense, and directs the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to revoke for
three years the driver's license of a person convicted of the new offense.
The bill charges DMV with additional responsibilities that the agency will accomplish with
existing staff and resources. Therefore, there is no expenditure impact to DMV. However, DMV
indicates that the complex coding changes to its IT system will require at least twelve months to
implement and test.
As this bill creates a new felony offense and modifies an existing offense, the bill may impact the
caseload and case progression in General Sessions court and potentially the number of
incarcerations, which may increase the workload of the court system and the Commission of
Indigent Defense, the Commission on Prosecution Coordination, the Department of Corrections,
and the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (PPP). Judicial anticipates that the
potential impact of the caseload in court can be managed within existing appropriations.
Additionally, the potential increase in expenses for each agency will depend upon the increase in
the number of cases and number of incarcerations. These agencies indicate that if this bill results
in a significant increase in the workload, then an increase in General Fund appropriations may be
requested. For information, according to Corrections, in FY 2023-24, the annual total cost per
inmate was $40,429, of which $36,553 was state funded.
This bill may result in an increase in the fines and fees collected by the court. Court fines and
fees are distributed to the General Fund, Other Funds, and local funds. The Revenue and Fiscal
Affairs Office (RFA) anticipates this bill may result in an undetermined increase in local revenue
if there is an increase in the collection of fines and fees by the court.
Bill Number: S. 0208 Introduced on Januar
y 15, 2025
Subject: Felon y Reckless Driving
Requestor: Senate Judiciary
RFA Analyst(s): Griffith
Impact Date: February 11, 2025
__________________________________
Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director
DISCLAIMER: THIS FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT REPRESENTS THE OPINION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE
AGENCY OFFICIAL WHO APPROVED AND SIGNED THIS DOCUMENT. IT IS PROVIDED AS INFORMATION TO
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED AS AN EXPRESSION OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
Page 2 of 2
S. 0208
Explanation of Fiscal Impact
Introduced on January 15, 2025
State Expenditure
This bill increases the penalties for the felony offense of reckless vehicular homicide and
changes the county in which a person may petition the circuit court for reinstatement of the
person’s driver’s license from the county of the person’s residence to the county of the person’s
conviction. The bill also creates the new offense of felony reckless driving, for which the
convicted person must be fined not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000, imprisoned not
more than ten years, or both. DMV shall revoke for three years the driver’s license of a person
convicted of felony reckless driving.
The bill charges DMV with additional responsibilities that the agency will accomplish with
existing staff and resources. Therefore, the bill will have no expenditure impact on DMV.
However, DMV indicates that the complex coding changes to its IT system will require at least
twelve months to implement and test.
As this bill creates a new felony offense and modifies an existing offense, the bill may impact the
caseload and case progression in General Sessions court and potentially the number of
incarcerations, which may increase the workload of the court system and the Commission of
Indigent Defense, the Commission on Prosecution Coordination, the Department of Corrections,
and PPP. Judicial anticipates that the potential impact of the caseload in court can be managed
within existing appropriations. Additionally, the potential increase in expenses for each agency
will depend upon the increase in the number of cases and number of incarcerations. These
agencies indicate that if this bill results in a significant increase in the workload, then an increase
in General Fund appropriations may be requested. For information, according to Corrections, in
FY 2023-24, the annual total cost per inmate was $40,429, of which $36,553 was state funded.
State Revenue
This bill may result in an increase in fines and fees collected by the court. Court fines and fees
are distributed to the General Fund, Other Funds, and local funds. RFA anticipates this bill may
result in an undetermined increase in General Fund and Other Funds revenue if there is an
increase in the collection of fines and fees by the court.
Local Expenditure
N/A
Local Revenue
This bill may result in an increase in the fines and fees collected by the court. Court fines and
fees are distributed to the General Fund, Other Funds, and local funds. RFA anticipates this bill
may result in an undetermined increase in local revenue if there is an increase in the collection of
fines and fees by the court.