S 1176 General Bill, By Wilson, Holland, Ryberg, Bauer, Courson and Leatherman
 A BILL TO AMEND ACT 253 OF 1992, RELATING TO THE CONDUCT OF PARTY CONVENTIONS
 OR PRIMARY PARTY ELECTIONS, SO AS TO DELETE THE AUTHORITY OF A PARTY TO
 CONDUCT A PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION AND THE REFERENCE TO PRESIDENTIAL
 PREFERENCE PRIMARIES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-15, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS
 OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PRIMARIES CONDUCTED BY THE STATE ELECTION
 COMMISSION, SO AS TO DELETE THE COMMISSION'S PROHIBITION ON CONDUCTING A
 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE CERTIFIED POLITICAL PARTY OF THE
 CANDIDATE RUNNING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY MUST SET THE DATE FOR THE
 PRIMARY ELECTION.

   02/23/00  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   02/23/00  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-6

TO AMEND ACT 253 OF 1992, RELATING TO THE CONDUCT OF PARTY CONVENTIONS OR PRIMARY PARTY ELECTIONS, SO AS TO DELETE THE AUTHORITY OF A PARTY TO CONDUCT A PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION AND THE REFERENCE TO PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARIES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-15, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PRIMARIES CONDUCTED BY THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, SO AS TO DELETE THE COMMISSION'S PROHIBITION ON CONDUCTING A PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE CERTIFIED POLITICAL PARTY OF THE CANDIDATE RUNNING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY MUST SET THE DATE FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTION.

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

SECTION 1.The second paragraph of Section 7-11-20 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 489 of 1992, is further amended to read:

"A certified political party wishing to hold a presidential primary election may do so in accordance with the provisions of this title and party rules. However, notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the state committee of the party shall set the date and the hours that the polls will be open for the presidential primary election and the filing requirements. If a party holds a presidential primary election is held on a Saturday, an absentee ballot must be provided to a person who signs an affirmation stating that for religious reasons he does not wish to take part in the electoral process on a Saturday."

SECTION 2. Section 14 of Act 253 of 1992 is amended to read:

"Section 14. Nothing in this act nor any other provision of law may be construed as prohibiting the political parties in this State from conducting, according to their own rules and at the party's expense, presidential preference or advisory primaries."

SECTION 3. Section 16 of Act 253 of 1992 is amended to read:

"Section 16. Except for municipal primaries, all primaries for national offices, excluding the Office of President, and all primaries for state offices, offices including more than one county, and countywide and less than countywide offices, specifically including, but not limited to, all school boards and school trustees, special purpose district offices, which include, but are not limited to, water, sewer, fire, soil conservation, and other similar district offices, must be conducted by the State Election Commission and the county election commissions on the second Tuesday in June of each general election year. However, the state committee of the party, in the case of a presidential primary, shall set the date of the primary. The State Election Commission shall adjust all dates and times provided in this article for the conduct of the presidential primary to be consistent with the date the state committee of the party sets for the primary."

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.