A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 22-2-5, RELATING TO THE ELIGIBILITY EXAMINATION FOR MAGISTRATES, SO AS TO EXTEND THE TIME PERIOD FOR THE VALIDITY OF THE EXAMINATION SCORES FROM SIX MONTHS BEFORE AND SIX MONTHS AFTER THE TIME THE APPOINTMENT IS TO BE MADE TO EIGHTEEN MONTHS BEFORE AND EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER THE TIME THE APPOINTMENT IS TO BE MADE.

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

SECTION 1.  Section 22-2-5(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

    (A) The South Carolina Court Administration, in cooperation with the technical college system, shall select and administer an eligibility examination to test basic skills of persons seeking an initial appointment as magistrate on or after July 1, 2001. In determining the persons to be recommended to the Governor for initial appointments as magistrates on or after July 1, 2001, a senatorial delegation must use the results of these eligibility examinations to assist in its selection of nominees. No person is eligible to be appointed as a magistrate unless he receives a passing score on the eligibility examination. The results of these eligibility examinations are valid for six eighteen months before and six eighteen months after the time the appointment is to be made.

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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