S*0641(Rat #0221, Act #0222 of 1996)  General Bill, By M.B. Williams
 A Bill to amend Section 7-5-150, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to the closing of registration books before elections, so as to
 provide that any person eligible to register who has been discharged or
 separated from his service in the Armed Forces of the United States, and
 returned home too late to register at the time when registration is required,
 is entitled to register for the purpose of voting in the next ensuing election
 after the discharge or separation from service, up to 5:00 P.M. on the day of
 the election, provide for the application process and the issuance of the
 registration notification stating the precinct in which he is entitled to
 vote, and a certification to the managers of the precinct that he is entitled
 to vote and placed on the registration rolls of the precinct; to amend Section
 7-15-175, relating to the construing of Article 3 of Chapter 15, so as not to
 allow registration after the registration books have been closed, so as to
 include a reference to the exception under Section 5-7-150; and to amend
 Section 7-5-220, relating t

   03/15/95  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   03/15/95  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-6
   04/18/95  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary SJ-31
   04/19/95  Senate Amended SJ-127
   04/19/95  Senate Read second time SJ-127
   04/20/95  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-22
   04/25/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-12
   04/25/95  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-13
   01/24/96  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-5
   01/25/96  House  Amended HJ-27
   01/25/96  House  Read second time HJ-28
   01/25/96  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day HJ-28
   01/26/96  House  Read third time and returned to Senate with
                     amendments HJ-5
   01/30/96  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-19
   02/06/96         Ratified R 221
   02/12/96         Signed By Governor
   02/12/96         Effective date 02/12/96
   03/06/96         Copies available
   03/06/96         Act No. 222

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-150, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE CLOSING OF REGISTRATION BOOKS BEFORE ELECTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER WHO HAS BEEN DISCHARGED OR SEPARATED FROM HIS SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES, AND RETURNED HOME TOO LATE TO REGISTER AT THE TIME WHEN REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, IS ENTITLED TO REGISTER FOR THE PURPOSE OF VOTING IN THE NEXT ENSUING ELECTION AFTER THE DISCHARGE OR SEPARATION FROM SERVICE, UP TO 5:00 P.M. ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION, PROVIDE FOR THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND THE ISSUANCE OF THE REGISTRATION NOTIFICATION STATING THE PRECINCT IN WHICH HE IS ENTITLED TO VOTE, AND A CERTIFICATION TO THE MANAGERS OF THE PRECINCT THAT HE IS ENTITLED TO VOTE AND PLACED ON THE REGISTRATION ROLLS OF THE PRECINCT; TO AMEND SECTION 7-15-175, RELATING TO THE CONSTRUING OF ARTICLE 3 OF CHAPTER 15, SO AS NOT TO ALLOW REGISTRATION AFTER THE REGISTRATION BOOKS HAVE BEEN CLOSED, SO AS TO INCLUDE A REFERENCE TO THE EXCEPTION UNDER SECTION 7-5-150; AND TO AMEND SECTION 7-5-220, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT REGISTRATION MADE THIRTY DAYS OR LESS BEFORE AN ELECTION IS NOT VALID FOR THAT ELECTION, SO AS TO INCLUDE AN EXCEPTION TO SECTION 7-5-150.

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

Closing of registration books

SECTION 1. Section 7-5-150 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-5-150. The registration books shall be closed thirty days before each election, but only as to that election or any second race or runoff resulting from that election, and shall remain closed until the election has taken place, anything in this article to the contrary notwithstanding; provided, that the registration books shall be closed thirty days before the June primary and shall remain closed until after the second primary and shall likewise be closed thirty days before the November general election. They shall thereafter be opened from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this article. Any person eligible to register who has been discharged or separated from his service in the Armed Forces of the United States, and returned home too late to register at the time when registration is required, is entitled to register for the purpose of voting in the next ensuing election after the discharge or separation from service, up to 5:00 p.m. on the day of the election. This application for registration must be made at the office of the board of voter registration in the county in which the person wishes to register, and if qualified, the person must be issued a registration notification stating the precinct in which he is entitled to vote and a certification to the managers of the precinct that he is entitled to vote and should be placed on the registration rolls of the precinct. Persons who become of age during this period of thirty days shall be entitled to register before the closing of the books if otherwise qualified."

Exception for construing article

SECTION 2. Section 7-15-175 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-15-175. Except as provided in Section 7-5-150, nothing in this article shall be construed as allowing registration under the provisions of this article after the registration books have been closed as required by Sections 7-5-150 and 7-5-220."

Exception for registration not being valid

SECTION 3. Section 7-5-220 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-5-220. Except as provided in Section 7-5-150, registration made thirty days or less before any election is not valid for that election or any second race or runoff resulting from that election but such registration shall be valid in any other election."

Time effective

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 12th day of February, 1996.