South Carolina General Assembly
121st Session, 2015-2016

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 99

STATUS INFORMATION

Joint Resolution
Sponsors: Senator Bright
Document Path: l:\s-res\lb\028magi.ksg.lb.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2015
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary

Summary: Magistrates

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   12/3/2014  Senate  Prefiled
   12/3/2014  Senate  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   1/13/2015  Senate  Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 80)
   1/13/2015  Senate  Referred to Committee on Judiciary 
                        (Senate Journal-page 80)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/3/2014

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A JOINT RESOLUTION

TO AMEND SECTION 26, ARTICLE V OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE APPOINTMENT OF MAGISTRATES, TO PROVIDE THAT MAGISTRATES MUST BE APPOINTED BY A MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENT CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES IN THE JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WHERE THE MAGISTRATE WILL SERVE.

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

SECTION    1.    It is proposed that Section 26, Article V of the Constitution be amended to read:

"Section 26.    The Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint a Magistrates for each county must be appointed by a majority vote of the resident circuit court judges in the judicial circuit where the magistrate will serve. The number of magistrates appointed for each county as shall be provided by law. The General Assembly shall provide for their terms of office and their civil and criminal jurisdiction. The terms of office must be uniform throughout the State."

SECTION    2.    The proposed amendment in Section 1 must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Must Section 26, Article V of the Constitution of this State, relating to the appointment of magistrates, be changed to provide that magistrates be appointed by a majority vote of the resident circuit court judges in the judicial circuit where the magistrate will serve rather than be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate?

Yes    []

No    []

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word 'Yes' and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word 'No'."

SECTION    3.    This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 14, 2015 at 9:37 AM