H*5123 Concurrent Resolution, By G.M. Smith, Weeks, Coates, J.H. Neal and 
G. Brown
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME
 THE PORTION OF UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 15 IN SUMTER COUNTY FROM ITS INTERSECTION
 WITH UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 378 TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH THE SUMTER/LEE COUNTY
 LINE THE "SOUTH CAROLINA CHIEF JUSTICE ERNEST A. FINNEY, JR. HIGHWAY", AND
 ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS ALONG THIS HIGHWAY THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS
 "SOUTH CAROLINA CHIEF JUSTICE ERNEST A. FINNEY, JR. HIGHWAY".

   05/10/06  House  Introduced HJ-98
   05/10/06  House  Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
                     Resolutions HJ-98
   05/11/06  House  Committee report: Favorable Invitations and
                     Memorial Resolutions HJ-3
   05/15/06         Scrivener's error corrected
   05/16/06  House  Adopted, sent to Senate HJ-33
   05/16/06  Senate Introduced SJ-16
   05/16/06  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-16
   05/23/06  Senate Recalled from Committee on Transportation SJ-3
   05/24/06  Senate Adopted, returned to House with concurrence SJ-45

RECALLED

May 23, 2006

H. 5123

Introduced by Reps. G.M. Smith, Weeks, Coates, J.H. Neal and G. Brown

S. Printed 5/23/06--S.

Read the first time May 16, 2006.

TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE PORTION OF UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 15 IN SUMTER COUNTY FROM ITS INTERSECTION WITH UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 378 TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH THE SUMTER/LEE COUNTY LINE THE "SOUTH CAROLINA CHIEF JUSTICE ERNEST A. FINNEY, JR. HIGHWAY", AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS ALONG THIS HIGHWAY THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS "SOUTH CAROLINA CHIEF JUSTICE ERNEST A. FINNEY, JR. HIGHWAY".

Whereas, retired South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Ernest A. Finney, Jr., was born in Smithfield, Virginia; and

Whereas, his mother died when he was ten days old, and he was raised by his father, Dr. Ernest A. Finney, Sr., a dedicated educator who instilled in his son an importance of a good education; and

Whereas, Judge Finney earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Claflin College in 1952, and a law degree from South Carolina State College's School of Law in 1954; and

Whereas, in 1960, Judge Finney moved his family to Sumter County and devoted himself to the full-time practice of law. He defended more than six thousand clients who were arrested for participating in sit-ins, freedom rides, and demonstrations; and

Whereas, because the legal system in South Carolina protected segregation, he lost almost every case that went to trial, but won all but two on appeal; and

Whereas, in 1972, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. In 1976, he was elected and qualified as Judge of the Third Judicial Circuit. In 1985, he was elected and qualified as an Associate Justice to the South Carolina Supreme Court. In 1994, he was elected as Chief Justice for the South Carolina Supreme Court where he served as the state's Chief Judicial Officer until he retired in 2000; and

Whereas, Judge Finney's other accomplishments include receiving: Honorary Doctor of Laws Degrees from The Citadel, Johnson C. Smith University, and Morris College; and a Doctor of Humane Letters from South Carolina State University; and

Whereas, it is fitting and proper to recognize the accomplishments of Judge Finney by having a highway in Sumter County named in his honor. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, requests that the Department of Transportation name the portion of United States Highway 15 in Sumter County from its intersection with United States Highway 378 to its intersection with the Sumter/Lee County line the "South Carolina Chief Justice Ernest A. Finney, Jr. Highway", and erect appropriate markers or signs along this highway that contain the words "South Carolina Chief Justice Ernest A. Finney, Jr. Highway".

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.