H 3281 General Bill, By Wilkins, H. Brown, J. Brown, Cato, Harrison, Haskins, 
Sharpe and Townsend

Similar(S 64)
 A BILL TO RATIFY AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7, ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF
 SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH
 CAROLINA SENATE OR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; AND TO RATIFY AN AMENDMENT TO
 SECTION 1, ARTICLE VI RELATING TO THE ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE OF ANY PERSON
 POPULARLY ELECTED TO ANY OFFICE OF THIS STATE OR THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF
 THIS STATE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NO PERSON IS ELIGIBLE FOR THESE OFFICES WHO
 HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY UNDER STATE OR FEDERAL LAW OR A VIOLATION OF
 CERTAIN ELECTION LAWS, INCLUDING A PLEA OR GUILTY OR NOLO CONTENDERE TO THESE
 OFFENSES, AND PROVIDE THAT THIS PROHIBITION DOES NOT APPLY TO A PERSON WHO HAS
 BEEN PARDONED UNDER STATE OR FEDERAL LAW OR TO A PERSON WHO FILES FOR PUBLIC
 OFFICE FIFTEEN YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE COMPLETION DATE OF SERVICE OF THE
 SENTENCE, INCLUDING PROBATION AND PAROLE TIME, NOR SHALL ANY PERSON SERVING IN
 OFFICE PRIOR TO THE RATIFICATION OF THESE AMENDMENTS BE REQUIRED TO VACATE THE
 OFFICE TO WHICH HE IS ELECTED.

   01/21/97  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-18
   01/21/97  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-18
   02/12/97  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary HJ-5
   02/18/97  House  Recommitted to Committee on Judiciary HJ-38

February 12, 1997

H. 3281

Introduced by Reps. Wilkins, Haskins, H. Brown, J. Brown, Cato, Harrison, Sharpe and Townsend

S. Printed 2/12/97--H.

Read the first time January 21, 1997.

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3281), to ratify an amendment to Section 7, Article III of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to qualifications of members, etc., respectfully

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

JAMES H. HARRISON, for Committee.

TO RATIFY AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7, ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE OR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; AND TO RATIFY AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1, ARTICLE VI RELATING TO THE ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE OF ANY PERSON POPULARLY ELECTED TO ANY OFFICE OF THIS STATE OR THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THIS STATE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NO PERSON IS ELIGIBLE FOR THESE OFFICES WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY UNDER STATE OR FEDERAL LAW OR A VIOLATION OF CERTAIN ELECTION LAWS, INCLUDING A PLEA OF GUILTY OR NOLO CONTENDERE TO THESE OFFENSES, AND PROVIDE THAT THIS PROHIBITION DOES NOT APPLY TO A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN PARDONED UNDER STATE OR FEDERAL LAW OR TO A PERSON WHO FILES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE FIFTEEN YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE COMPLETION DATE OF SERVICE OF THE SENTENCE, INCLUDING PROBATION AND PAROLE TIME, NOR SHALL ANY PERSON SERVING IN OFFICE PRIOR TO THE RATIFICATION OF THESE AMENDMENTS BE REQUIRED TO VACATE THE OFFICE TO WHICH HE IS ELECTED.

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

SECTION 1. The amendment to Section 7, Article III of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, prepared under the terms of Joint Resolution 472 of 1996, having been submitted to the qualified electors at the general election of 1996 as prescribed in Section 1, Article XVI of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, and a favorable vote having been received on the amendment, is ratified and declared to be a part of the Constitution so that Section 7 of Article III is amended to read:

"Section 7. No person is eligible for a seat in the Senate or House of Representatives who, at the time of his election, is not a duly qualified elector under this Constitution in the district in which he may be chosen. Senators must be at least twenty-five and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age. No person who has been convicted of a felony under state or federal law or convicted of tampering with a voting machine, fraudulent registration or voting, bribery at elections, procuring or offering to procure votes by bribery, voting more than once at elections, impersonating a voter, or swearing falsely at elections, taking oath in another's name, or who has pled guilty or nolo contendere to these offenses, is eligible to serve as a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives. However, notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, this prohibition does not apply to a person who has been pardoned under state or federal law or to a person who files for public office fifteen years or more after the completion date of service of the sentence, including probation and parole time, nor shall any person, serving in office prior to the ratification of this provision, be required to vacate the office to which he is elected."

SECTION 2. The amendment to Section 1, Article VI of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, prepared under the terms of Joint Resolution 472 of 1996, having been submitted to the qualified electors at the general election of 1996 as prescribed in Section 1, Article XVI of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, and a favorable vote having been received on the amendment, is ratified and declared to be a part of the Constitution so that Section 1 of Article VI is amended to read:

"Section 1. No person may be popularly elected to and serve in any office in this State or its political subdivisions unless he possesses the qualifications of an elector, is not disqualified by age as prescribed in this Constitution, and has not been convicted of a felony under state or federal law or convicted of tampering with a voting machine, fraudulent registration or voting, bribery at elections, procuring or offering to procure votes by bribery, voting more than once at elections, impersonating a voter, or swearing falsely at elections, taking oath in another's name, or has not pled guilty or nolo contendere to these offenses. However, notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, this prohibition does not apply to a person who has been pardoned under state or federal law or to a person who files for public office fifteen years or more after the completion date of service of the sentence, including probation and parole time, nor shall any person, serving in office prior to the ratification of this provision, be required to vacate the office to which he is elected. No person may be elected or appointed to office in this State for life or during good behavior, but the terms of all officers must be for some specified period except officers in the militia."

SECTION 3. The General Assembly is aware that pursuant to Joint Resolution 470 of 1996 and Joint Resolution 472 of 1996 differing amendments to Section 4, Article II of the Constitution were submitted to the qualified electors at the general election of 1996 and a favorable vote was received on both. The General Assembly in the ratification process under Section 1, Article XVI of the Constitution has therefore determined to ratify the provisions of Section 4, Article II as submitted to and approved by the qualified electors pursuant to Joint Resolution 470 of 1996 and to ratify all amendments to the Constitution submitted to and approved by the qualified electors pursuant to Joint Resolution 472 of 1996 except for the amendment therein to Section 4, Article II.