H 3052 General Bill, By W.D. Smith, Harrison, Whatley and Cotty
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 2-19-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION ANNOUNCING AND
 PUBLICIZING JUDICIAL VACANCIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMISSION, IN
 TIMELY FASHION, MUST SEND A NEWS RELEASE TO EACH NEWSPAPER OF DAILY
 CIRCULATION IN THE STATE THAT CONTAINS THE NAMES OF THE CANDIDATES, THE DATE,
 PLACE, AND TIME OF JUDICIAL SCREENING HEARINGS, AND ALSO CONTAINS A STATEMENT
 ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC INPUT IN THE SCREENING PROCESS, AND TO REQUIRE
 THE COMMISSION TO REQUEST OF EACH NEWSPAPER THAT THE NEWS RELEASE BE PUBLISHED
 ON AT LEAST ONE-HALF OF ONE NEWSPAPER PAGE, AND TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO
 SEND THE NEWS RELEASE TO APPLICABLE BAR ORGANIZATIONS.

   12/06/00  House  Prefiled
   12/06/00  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/09/01  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-32
   01/09/01  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-32
   01/24/01  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary HJ-2
   01/25/01  House  Read second time HJ-13
   01/25/01  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day HJ-15
   01/26/01  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-2
   01/30/01  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-20
   01/30/01  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-20

Indicates New Matter

COMMITTEE REPORT

January 24, 2001

    H. 3052

S. Printed 1/24/01--H.

Read the first time January 9, 2001.

    To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3052), to amend Section 2-19-20, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the Judicial Merit Selection Commission announcing and publicizing judicial vacancies, etc., respectfully

    That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

JAMES H. HARRISON, for Committee.

TO AMEND SECTION 2-19-20, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION ANNOUNCING AND PUBLICIZING JUDICIAL VACANCIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMISSION, IN TIMELY FASHION, MUST SEND A NEWS RELEASE TO EACH NEWSPAPER OF DAILY CIRCULATION IN THE STATE THAT CONTAINS THE NAMES OF THE CANDIDATES, THE DATE, PLACE, AND TIME OF JUDICIAL SCREENING HEARINGS, AND ALSO CONTAINS A STATEMENT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC INPUT IN THE SCREENING PROCESS, AND TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO REQUEST OF EACH NEWSPAPER THAT THE NEWS RELEASE BE PUBLISHED ON AT LEAST ONE-HALF OF ONE NEWSPAPER PAGE, AND TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO SEND THE NEWS RELEASE TO APPLICABLE BAR ORGANIZATIONS.

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

SECTION    1.        Section 2-19-20(C) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 32 of 1999, is further amended to read:

    "(C)    (1) The Judicial Merit Selection Commission shall announce and publicize vacancies and forthcoming vacancies in the administrative law judge division, on the family court, circuit court, court of appeals, and Supreme Court. A person who desires to be considered for nomination as justice or judge may make application to the commission. No person may concurrently seek more than one judicial vacancy.

        (2)    The commission shall announce the names of those persons who have applied for the vacancies in the administrative law division, family court, circuit court, court of appeals, and Supreme Court. The commission must inform the public of the candidates to be screened, and the date, place, and time of the hearing through a news release sent to each newspaper of the State with daily circulation. The news release also must contain a request for public input on the candidates for judicial office and the statement that 'public input is an important factor in determining whether the candidate is qualified to serve'. The commission is required to submit the news release to the newspapers in timely fashion so that the news release is published at least two weeks before the date when public hearings are scheduled to begin. The commission is required to request of each newspaper that the news release is published on at least one-half of a newspaper page. The commission also must send the news release to applicable bar organizations, including the South Carolina Bar and all applicable county bar organizations."

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