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S. 973
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senator Leventis
Document Path: l:\council\bills\dka\3526dw06.doc
Companion/Similar bill(s): 4339
Introduced in the Senate on January 10, 2006
Currently residing in the Senate
Summary: Elections Study Commission created
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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12/13/2005 Senate Prefiled
12/13/2005 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
1/10/2006 Senate Introduced and read first time
1/10/2006 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
1/18/2006 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Martin (ch), Malloy, Campsen,
Williams
3/15/2006 Senate Committee report: Majority favorable, minority
unfavorable Judiciary SJ-15
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
COMMITTEE REPORT
March 15, 2006
S. 973
S. Printed 3/15/06--S.
Read the first time January 10, 2006.
To whom was referred a Bill (S. 973) to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Article 6 to Chapter 5, Title 7 so as to create the Elections Study Commission, to provide, etc., respectfully
That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, page 1, beginning on line 28, and continuing on page 2, by striking SECTION 1 in its entirety and inserting therein the following:
/ SECTION 1. Chapter 5, Title 7 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 7-5-510. (A) The Elections Study Commission is created to investigate barriers to registration and voting, error rates and voting machine reliability, review state expenditures and federal grants related to voting, and propose ways to make the electoral system more efficient, accurate, verifiable, and accessible.
(B) The Governor shall appoint a thirteen-member commission, two members from each congressional district and one member at large. The Governor shall consider race and gender diversity in appointing the members. The appointments shall be made from nominations submitted by nonpartisan voting rights organizations, as recognized by the Secretary of State and the United States Internal Revenue Service. The commission members shall choose a chair from among the members.
(C) Commission members shall serve for four-year terms and may be removed, for cause, by a majority vote of the commission. One initial appointment from each congressional district, determined alphabetically, must be for a two-year term. A vacancy must be filled in the manner of the original appointment. Commission members do not receive reimbursements or subsidies for their service.
(D) A vacancy on the commission must be announced thirty days before the election in prominent newspapers in the respective counties and through nongovernmental organizations that do nonpartisan voter advocacy work.
(E) The commission shall meet at least four times a year at times and locations to be determined by the commission chair. The commission may form subcommittees and hold public hearings and meetings as determined by the committee chair or subcommittee chairs.
(F) Commission members shall act as Voting Rights Ombudsmen for their respective congressional districts. County election commissions and entities charged by law with registration of electors shall make the contact information of their congressional district's ombudsmen available to citizens with complaints regarding voter registration and elections.
(G) The commission shall make a report to the Governor and the General Assembly within ninety days of each general election containing recommendations to improve citizen-informed participation in the electoral process." /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
Majority favorable. Minority unfavorable.
LARRY A. MARTIN GLENN F. McCONNELL
For Majority. For Minority.
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 6 TO CHAPTER 5, TITLE 7 SO AS TO CREATE THE ELECTIONS STUDY COMMISSION, TO PROVIDE FOR ITS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, TO PROVIDE FOR ITS MEMBERSHIP, TO PROVIDE FOR APPOINTMENT OF ITS MEMBERS AND ELECTION OF ITS CHAIRMAN, TO PROVIDE FOR THE TERMS OF ITS MEMBERS, AND TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO MAKE A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF EACH GENERAL ELECTION CONTAINING RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE CITIZEN-INFORMED PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 5, Title 7 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 7-5-510. (A) The Elections Study Commission is created to investigate barriers to registration and voting, error rates and voting machine reliability, review state expenditures and federal grants related to voting, and propose ways to make the electoral system more efficient, accurate, verifiable, and accessible.
(B) The commission must be composed of forty-six members, one from each county and who are registered voters in South Carolina who have evidenced a commitment to voting rights. Each commission member must be chosen by each county legislative delegation and shall elect the commission chair from among their members. The director of the State Election Commission shall serve on the commission as an ex officio, nonvoting, member.
(C) Commission members shall serve for four-year terms and may be removed, for cause, by a majority vote of the commission. Initial appointments in twenty-three counties, determined alphabetically, must be for two-year terms. A vacancy must be filled in the manner of the original appointment.
(D) A vacancy on the commission must be announced by the county legislative delegations thirty days before the election in prominent newspapers in the respective counties and through nongovernmental organizations that do nonpartisan voter advocacy work.
(E) The commission shall meet at least four times a year at times and locations to be determined by the commission chair. The commission may form subcommittees, hold public hearings and meetings as determined by the committee chair or subcommittee chairs.
(F) Commission members shall act as Voting Rights Ombudsmen for their respective counties. County election commissions and entities charged by law with registration of electors shall make the contact information of their county's ombudsman available to citizens with complaints regarding voter registration and elections.
(G) The commission shall make a report to the Governor and the General Assembly within ninety days of each general election containing recommendations to improve citizen-informed participation in the electoral process."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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