H 3076 Session 123 (2019-2020) H 3076 General Bill, By Pitts, Cobb-Hunter, Bannister, Willis and Hosey A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FAMILY COURT JUDGES FROM EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF JUDGES TO BE ELECTED FROM THE FIRST AND EIGHTH CIRCUITS, TO DESIGNATE THE ASSIGNMENT OF ONE JUDGE EACH TO THE ORANGEBURG AND LAURENS COUNTIES FAMILY COURT, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER CERTAIN MATTERS.
TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FAMILY COURT JUDGES FROM EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF JUDGES TO BE ELECTED FROM THE FIRST AND EIGHTH CIRCUITS, TO DESIGNATE THE ASSIGNMENT OF ONE JUDGE EACH TO THE ORANGEBURG AND LAURENS COUNTIES FAMILY COURT, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER CERTAIN MATTERS. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Section 63-3-40 of the 1976 Code is amended to read: "Section 63-3-40. (A) The General Assembly shall elect a number of family court judges from each judicial circuit as follows:
First Circuit Second Circuit Two Judges Third Circuit Three Judges Fourth Circuit Three Judges Fifth Circuit Four Judges Sixth Circuit Two Judges Seventh Circuit Three Judges
Eighth Circuit Ninth Circuit Six Judges Tenth Circuit Three Judges Eleventh Circuit Three Judges Twelfth Circuit Three Judges Thirteenth Circuit Six Judges Fourteenth Circuit Three Judges Fifteenth Circuit Three Judges Sixteenth Circuit Two Judges (B) One judge in the first circuit shall be assigned to Orangeburg County Family Court, and one judge from the eighth circuit shall be assigned to Laurens County Family Court. These judgeships shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over: (1) voluntary placement hearings; (2) foster care proceedings; (3) proceedings to terminate parental rights; (4) adoption proceedings; and (5) Department of Social Services proceedings.
SECTION 2. The Judicial Merit Selection Commission shall begin the process of nominating candidates for the judicial offices authorized by the provisions of SECTION 1, and the General Assembly then shall elect these judges from the nominees of the commission, except that the nominating process may not begin until funding for the additional judges is provided in the general appropriations act. SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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