S*0405(Rat #0154, Act #0146 of 2014)  General Bill, By L. Martin
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 1-23-560, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO THE APPLICATION OF THE CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT TO
 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES AND THE ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THESE
 RULES BY THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION, SO AS TO PROVIDE INSTEAD THAT THE
 COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT, UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE SUPREME COURT, SHALL
 HANDLE COMPLAINTS AGAINST ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES FOR POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS OF
 THE CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT IN THE SAME MANNER AS COMPLAINTS AGAINST OTHER
 JUDGES. - ratified title

   02/20/13  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 18)
   02/20/13  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 18)
   02/22/13  Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Rankin (ch), Malloy, S.Martin
   03/20/13  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 14)
   03/21/13  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 39)
   03/21/13  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 39)
   03/21/13  Senate Roll call Ayes-38  Nays-3 (Senate Journal-page 39)
   04/09/13  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 17)
   04/09/13  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 55)
   04/09/13  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 55)
   05/30/13  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 8)
   06/04/13  House  Requests for debate-Rep(s). Sellers, JE Smith,
                     Rutherford, Neal, King, McEachern, Sabb,
                     Gambrell, Thayer, Gagnon, Bannister, RL Brown,
                     Anderson, Douglas (House Journal-page 17)
   01/15/14  House  Debate adjourned until Tues., 1-21-14
                     (House Journal-page 54)
   02/06/14  House  Debate adjourned until Wed., 2-19-14
                     (House Journal-page 32)
   02/19/14  House  Amended (House Journal-page 22)
   02/19/14  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 22)
   02/19/14  House  Roll call Yeas-108  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 24)
   02/20/14  House  Read third time and returned to Senate with
                     amendments (House Journal-page 60)
   02/25/14  Senate Recommitted to Committee on Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 42)
   02/26/14  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 13)
   02/27/14  Senate House amendment amended (Senate Journal-page 40)
   02/27/14  Senate Returned to House with amendments
                     (Senate Journal-page 40)
   03/19/14  House  Debate adjourned until Thur., 3-20-14
                     (House Journal-page 18)
   03/20/14  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
                     (House Journal-page 28)
   03/20/14  House  Roll call Yeas-72  Nays-27 (House Journal-page 29)
   04/03/14         Ratified R 154
   04/07/14         Signed By Governor
   04/09/14         Effective date 04/07/14
   04/14/14         Act No. 146

(A146, R154, S405)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 1-23-560, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE APPLICATION OF THE CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT TO ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES AND THE ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THESE RULES BY THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION, SO AS TO PROVIDE INSTEAD THAT THE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT, UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE SUPREME COURT, SHALL HANDLE COMPLAINTS AGAINST ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES FOR POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS OF THE CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT IN THE SAME MANNER AS COMPLAINTS AGAINST OTHER JUDGES.

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

Complaints against administrative law judges

SECTION    1.    Section 1-23-560 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 334 of 2008, is further amended to read:

"Section 1-23-560.    Administrative law judges are bound by the Code of Judicial Conduct, as contained in Rule 501 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules. The sole grounds for discipline and sanctions for administrative law judges are those contained in the Code of Judicial Conduct in Rule 502, Rule 7 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules. The Commission on Judicial Conduct, under the authority of the Supreme Court, shall handle complaints against administrative law judges for possible violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct in the same manner as complaints against other judges. Notwithstanding another provision of law, an administrative law judge and the judge's spouse or guest may accept an invitation to attend a judicial-related or bar-related function, or an activity devoted to the improvement of the law, legal system, or the administration of justice."

Time effective

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

Ratified the 3rd day of April, 2014.

Approved the 7th day of April, 2014.