H 3371 General Bill, By Carnell and T.L. Farr
 A Bill to amend Section 2-19-10, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to the membership of the Joint Committee to Review Candidates for
 Offices Elected by the General Assembly, so as to increase the membership of
 the Joint Committee; to amend Sections 58-3-20 and 58-3-24, relating to the
 Public Service Commission and its membership, so as to delete references to
 the Public Service Commission Merit Selection Panel; and to repeal Sections
 58-3-21, 58-3-22, 58-3-23, and 58-3-25, relating to the Public Service
 Commission Merit Selection Panel.

   02/03/93  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference HJ-14
   02/09/93  House  Objection by Rep. Kirsh HJ-27
   02/09/93  House  Debate adjourned until Wednesday, February 10,
                     1993 HJ-27
   02/11/93  House  Objection by Rep. Clyborne, Robinson, Baker &
                     Wofford HJ-14
   02/11/93  House  Objection withdrawn by Rep. Wofford & Baker HJ-20
   02/11/93  House  Objection by Rep. Graham, Walker & Richardson HJ-20
   02/16/93  House  Debate adjourned until Wednesday, February 17,
                     1993 HJ-21
   03/08/93  House  Objection withdrawn by Rep. Robinson HJ-15
   03/08/93  House  Debate adjourned until Tuesday, March 9, 1993 HJ-17
   03/08/93  House  Objection withdrawn by Rep. Walker HJ-32
   03/09/93  House  Debate adjourned until Tuesday, March 30, 1993 HJ-10
   03/30/93  House  Objection by Rep. Rudnick HJ-15
   03/31/93  House  Objection withdrawn by Rep. Richardson HJ-13
   03/31/93  House  Objection by Rep. Farr HJ-13
   03/31/93  House  Objection withdrawn by Rep. Farr HJ-16
   03/31/93  House  Objection by Rep. Sheheen, Wells, D. Smith,
                     Trotter & T.C. Alexander HJ-19
   01/13/94  House  Tabled HJ-284

INTRODUCED

February 3, 1993

H. 3371

S. Printed 2/3/93--H.

Read the first time February 3, 1993.

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 2-19-10, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE TO REVIEW CANDIDATES FOR OFFICES ELECTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE; TO AMEND SECTIONS 58-3-20 AND 58-3-24, RELATING TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND ITS MEMBERSHIP, SO AS TO DELETE REFERENCES TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION MERIT SELECTION PANEL; AND TO REPEAL SECTIONS 58-3-21, 58-3-22, 58-3-23, AND 58-3-25, RELATING TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION MERIT SELECTION PANEL.

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

SECTION 1. Section 2-19-10 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 2-19-10. Whenever an election is to be held by the General Assembly in Joint Session, including members of the judiciary, a joint committee, composed of eight ten members, four five of whom shall must be members of the House of Representatives and four five of whom shall must be members of the Senate, shall must be appointed to consider the qualifications of the candidates. Each body shall determine how its respective members shall must be selected. Each joint committee shall meet as soon after its appointment as may be practicable and shall elect one of its members as chairman, one as secretary, and such those other officers as it may deem consider desirable."

SECTION 2. Section 58-3-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 58-3-20. The Public Service Commission shall be is composed of seven members to be elected by the General Assembly upon nomination of the South Carolina Public Service Merit Selection Panel , one from each congressional district, in the manner prescribed by this chapter for terms of four years and until their successors are elected and qualify.

Each of the seven districts that were defined as congressional districts on January 1, 1930, is hereby established and declared to be a Public Service Commission district until July 1, 1982, and a Public Service Commissioner shall be elected from each of such districts; provided, however, that on July 1, 1982, the Public Service Commission shall be composed of seven members to be elected by the General Assembly upon nomination of the Public Service Merit Selection Panel from the then existing congressional districts. If the number of congressional districts is less than seven, additional members shall must be elected at large to provide for a seven member commission. The General Assembly in its 1982 session shall provide for the election of the seven member commission and elect members thereto based upon the congressional districts established by the General Assembly pursuant to the official United States Census of 1980.

To effect an orderly transition to the nomination of members of the commission by the merit selection panel and reconstitute the commission in accordance with this section, the following transition procedures shall apply to this section:

(1) Members of the commission whose terms expire June 30, 1979, shall continue to serve as commissioners until their successors are elected and qualify in 1980 pursuant to the provisions of this chapter for terms extending until the General Assembly provides for election based upon the congressional districts established by the General Assembly pursuant to the official United States Census of 1980.

(2) Members of the commission whose terms expire June 30, 1982, shall continue to serve until the expiration of their terms on that date.

(3) The initial selection of nominees by the merit selection panel and their subsequent consideration by the General Assembly under this chapter shall take place during the 1980 session of the General Assembly.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Sections 58-3-20, 58-3-25, 58-3-40, 58-3-142 and 58-3-145, of those members of the commission initially elected in 1982, four members shall serve for a term of four years and three members shall serve for a term of three years as determined by lot. The commission shall notify the Secretary of State of the terms."

SECTION 3. Section 58-3-24 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 58-3-24. No member of the South Carolina Public Service Merit Selection Panel and no member of his immediate family to include his spouse, children, brothers, sisters, parents, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews shall be elected to the Public Service Commission while such person is serving on the Merit Selection Panel nor shall such person or members of his family as stipulated above be elected to the Public Service Commission for a period of four years after such person ceases to be a member of the Merit Selection Panel. Additionally, after After January 1, 1981, no member of the General Assembly shall may be elected to the Public Service Commission while such that person is serving in the General Assembly nor shall such that person be elected to the Public Service Commission for a period of four years after he ceases to be a member of the General Assembly."

SECTION 4. Sections 58-3-21, 58-3-22, 58-3-23 and 58-3-25 of the 1976 Code are repealed.

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.