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Bill 4971

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      4971
Type of Legislation:              General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                 House
Introduced Date:                  20020326
Primary Sponsor:                  R. Brown
All Sponsors:                     R. Brown, G. Brown, Moody-Lawrence, 
                                  Whipper, Hosey, Allen, Breeland, Emory, 
                                  Hamilton, J. Hines, Lee, Lloyd, Mack, 
                                  J.M. Neal, Rodgers, F.N. Smith and Trotter
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\swb\5249zcw02.doc
Residing Body:                    House
Current Committee:                Judiciary Committee 25 HJ
Subject:                          House of Representatives, election date 
                                  for members


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
House   20020326  Introduced, read first time,           25 HJ
                  referred to Committee


              Versions of This Bill

TO AMEND SECTION 2-1-20, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ELECTION DATE FOR MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE ELECTION DATE IS THE TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER OF EVERY OTHER EVEN-NUMBERED YEAR; TO AMEND SECTION 2-1-40, RELATING TO THE TERM OF OFFICE FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE TERM IS FOUR YEARS.

Whereas, the General Assembly finds that for members of the House of Representatives the two-year term of office does not allow a representative enough time in office to become a truly effective and articulate legislator who can comprehend the many complex issues facing the General Assembly; and

Whereas, the General Assembly finds that a two-year term of office creates problems in that the legislator or the candidate for that office must campaign and seek campaign funds on a continuous basis for that office from the people of the district; and

Whereas, the General Assembly finds these campaign and fundraising activities diminish the representative's ability to concentrate on the important issues facing the State; and

Whereas, the General Assembly further finds that in five other states the members of the House of Representatives serve a four-year term; and

Whereas, the General Assembly concludes that increasing the term of the House of Representatives to four years would allow the legislators to concentrate on the very important issues facing the State and would ease the pressures of campaigning and campaign fundraising. Now, therefore,

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

SECTION    1.    Section 2-1-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

    "Section 2-1-20.        Representatives to the House of Representatives shall be elected from the several counties of the State at the general election to be held on Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every other even-numbered year."

SECTION    2.    Section 2-1-40 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

    "Section 2-1-40.     Any person otherwise qualified by law and the Constitution of this State may file as a candidate and can be elected only in the district in which he is a resident. A person may file for only one House office. The terms term of office shall be is for two four years."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon the signature of the Governor and is contingent on the ratification of a constitutional amendment to Sections 2 and 8, Article III of the South Carolina Constitution, increasing the term of office for the House of Representatives to four years.

This web page was last updated on Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 11:38 A.M.