S*1046 (Rat #0244, Act #0219 of 2024) General Bill, By Hembree, Climer, M. Johnson, Peeler, Corbin, Cromer, Shealy, Grooms, Bennett, Gambrell, Loftis, Rice, Gustafson, Martin, Verdin, Turner, Kimbrell, Reichenbach, Cash, Harpootlian, McLeod and Fanning
    AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING CHAPTER 19 OF TITLE 2, RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION MEMBERS, INITIAL TERMS, AND SUBSEQUENT TERMS; TO AMEND THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP TO TWELVE MEMBERS, INCLUDING FOUR MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR; TO PROVIDE A QUORUM IS SEVEN MEMBERS, AND TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; TO PROVIDE FOR TWO-YEAR TERMS AND TERM LIMITS OF MEMBERS; TO REQUIRE ALL PUBLIC HEARINGS BE LIVE STREAMED EXCEPT WHEN THE COMMISSION IS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION; TO ESTABLISH SET TIMES FOR THE RELEASE OF REPORTS AND THE SEEKING OF PLEDGES AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE FORMAL RELEASE OF THE REPORT OF QUALIFICATIONS SHALL OCCUR NO EARLIER THAN TWELVE DAYS AFTER NOMINEES HAVE BEEN RELEASED TO MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF NOMINEES RELEASED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM THREE TO SIX; TO REQUIRE MIDTERM REVIEWS OF JUSTICES AND JUDGES AND PROVIDE A PROCEDURE FOR THE COMMISSION AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR TO CONDUCT THE REVIEW; TO REQUIRE THE RETENTION OF INVESTIGATIVE MATERIALS; TO PROHIBIT VOTE COUNTING BEFORE THE FORMAL RELEASE OF THE REPORT; TO REQUIRE THE REPORT TO INCLUDE THE PARTICULAR REASONS WHEN CANDIDATES WERE FOUND NOT QUALIFIED; TO PROVIDE TWENTY-TWO DAYS MUST ELAPSE BETWEEN THE DATE OF THE COMMISSION'S NOMINATIONS AND THE ELECTIONS FOR THESE JUDGESHIPS; AND TO PROVIDE THAT NOTHING SHALL PREVENT A LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION FROM REJECTING A CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF MASTER-IN-EQUITY AND DIRECTING THE COMMISSION TO REOPEN THE SCREENING PROCESS. - RATIFIED TITLE
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02/14/24	Senate	Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 3)
02/14/24	Senate	Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 3)
02/15/24		Scrivener's error corrected
02/28/24	Senate	Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 15)
02/28/24	Senate	Special order, set for February 28, 2024 (Senate Journal-page 49)
02/28/24	Senate	Roll call Ayes-31 Nays-11 (Senate Journal-page 49)
02/29/24	Senate	Debate interrupted
03/01/24		Scrivener's error corrected
03/06/24	Senate	Debate interrupted (Senate Journal-page 50)
03/07/24	Senate	Debate interrupted (Senate Journal-page 20)
03/14/24	Senate	Amended (Senate Journal-page 6)
03/14/24	Senate	Read second time (Senate Journal-page 6)
03/14/24	Senate	Roll call Ayes-41 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 6)
03/19/24		Scrivener's error corrected
03/19/24	Senate	Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 39)
03/19/24	Senate	Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 39)
03/20/24	House	Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 23)
03/20/24	House	Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House Journal-page 23)
05/01/24	House	Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary (House Journal-page 114)
05/02/24	House	Requests for debate-Rep(s). Ott, Hiott, B Newton, Felder, Carter, W Newton, O'Neal, Ligon, Session, Harris, T Moore, Magnuson, Guest, BL Cox, Cromer, Oremus, West, Anderson, Hewitt, Hosey, Kirby, JA Moore Cobb-Hunter, Spann-Wilder, Bauer, Robbins, Whitmire, Brewer, White, Chumley, Dilliard, W Jones, Wheeler, Weeks, May, Killmartin, Wetmore, Stavreinakis, Ballentine, Wooten, Caskey, Hager, McDaniel, Herbkersman (House Journal-page 61)
05/06/24		Scrivener's error corrected
05/07/24	House	Amended (House Journal-page 141)
05/07/24	House	Read second time (House Journal-page 141)
05/07/24	House	Roll call Yeas-112 Nays-6 (House Journal-page 162)
05/08/24	House	Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments (House Journal-page 120)
05/08/24	Senate	Amended (Senate Journal-page 223)
05/08/24	Senate	Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 223)
05/08/24	Senate	Returned to House with amendments (Senate Journal-page 223)
05/09/24	House	Non-concurrence in Senate amendment (House Journal-page 58)
05/09/24	House	Roll call Yeas-0 Nays-104 (House Journal-page 59)
05/09/24	Senate	Senate insists upon amendment and conference committee appointed Rankin, Malloy, Massey (Senate Journal-page 38)
05/09/24	House	Conference committee appointed W Newton, Caskey, Stavrinakis (House Journal-page 150)
06/26/24	Senate	Conference report received and adopted (Senate Journal-page 115)
06/26/24	Senate	Roll call Ayes-38 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 115)
06/26/24	House	Conference report received and adopted
06/26/24	House	Roll call Yeas-97 Nays-0
06/26/24	House	Ordered enrolled for ratification
06/27/24		Ratified R 244
07/02/24		Signed By Governor
07/17/24		Effective date 07/01/25
07/17/24		Act No. 219