H 3696 {Rat #266, Act #232 of 2022} General Bill, By Lucas, G.M.Smith, Murphy, 
Simrill, Rutherford, Bannister, Bradley, Erickson, Gatch, Herbkersman, Kimmons, 
W.Newton, Rivers, Stavrinakis, Weeks, S.Williams, McGarry, Carter, Hart, 
Jefferson, R.Williams, Govan and Thigpen
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 14-5-610, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF THE STATE INTO SIXTEEN JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, SO AS TO
 INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES BY ONE IN THE SECOND, NINTH,
 FOURTEENTH, AND FIFTEENTH CIRCUITS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-40, RELATING TO
 FAMILY COURT JUDGES ELECTED FROM EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SO AS TO INCREASE BY
 ONE THE NUMBER OF FAMILY COURT JUDGES IN THE FIRST, SEVENTH, AND SIXTEENTH
 CIRCUITS. - ratified title

   01/14/21  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 572)
   01/14/21  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 572)
   01/26/21  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: McGarry
   02/11/21  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Carter
   02/18/21  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 50)
   02/23/21  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hart,
                     Jefferson, R.Williams
   02/23/21  House  Debate adjourned until  Wed., 2-24-21
                     (House Journal-page 30)
   02/24/21  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Govan, Thigpen
   02/24/21  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 25)
   02/24/21  House  Roll call Yeas-113  Nays-2 (House Journal-page 25)
   02/25/21  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 12)
   02/25/21  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 8)
   02/25/21  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 8)
   03/19/21  Senate Referred to Subcommittee:  Young (ch), Sabb,
                     Matthews, Garrett, M.Johnson
   05/05/21  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 10)
   05/06/21         Scrivener's error corrected
   05/12/21  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 41)
   05/13/21  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 21)
   05/13/21  Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 21)
   05/13/21  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments (Senate Journal-page 21)
   05/13/21  Senate Roll call Ayes-38  Nays-3 (Senate Journal-page 21)
   05/18/21         Scrivener's error corrected
   01/26/22  House  Recommitted to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 22)
   03/30/22  House  Recalled from Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 22)
   03/31/22  House  Non-concurrence in Senate amendment
                     (House Journal-page 17)
   03/31/22  House  Roll call Yeas-0  Nays-104 (House Journal-page 18)
   04/05/22  Senate Senate insists upon amendment and conference
                     committee appointed  Rankin, Hutto, Talley
                     (Senate Journal-page 11)
   04/06/22  House  Conference committee appointed  GM Smith,
                     Rutherford, W Newton (House Journal-page 9)
   06/15/22  Senate Conference report received and adopted
                     (Senate Journal-page 164)
   06/15/22  Senate Roll call Ayes-37  Nays-1 (Senate Journal-page 164)
   06/15/22  House  Conference report received and adopted
                     (House Journal-page 64)
   06/15/22  House  Roll call Yeas-108  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 66)
   06/15/22  House  Ordered enrolled for ratification
                     (House Journal-page 234)
   06/16/22         Ratified R  266
   06/17/22         Signed By Governor
   06/28/22         Effective date  06/17/22
   06/28/22         Act No.  232

(A232, R266, H3696)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 14-5-610, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF THE STATE INTO SIXTEEN JUDICIAL CIRCUITS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES BY ONE IN THE SECOND, NINTH, FOURTEENTH, AND FIFTEENTH CIRCUITS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-40, RELATING TO FAMILY COURT JUDGES ELECTED FROM EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SO AS TO INCREASE BY ONE THE NUMBER OF FAMILY COURT JUDGES IN THE FIRST, SEVENTH, AND SIXTEENTH CIRCUITS.

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

Additional circuit court judges

SECTION    1.    Section 14-5-610(B) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(B)    One judge must be elected from the sixth and twelfth circuits. Two judges must be elected from the first, second, third, fourth, seventh, eighth, tenth, eleventh, and sixteenth circuits. Three judges must be elected from the fifth, fourteenth, and fifteenth circuits. Four judges must be elected from the ninth and thirteenth circuits."

Additional family court judges

SECTION    2.    Section 63-3-40(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A)    The General Assembly shall elect a number of family court judges from each judicial circuit as follows:

First Circuit                    Four Judges

Second Circuit            Two Judges

Third Circuit                Three Judges

Fourth Circuit                Three Judges

Fifth Circuit                Four Judges

Sixth Circuit                Two Judges

Seventh Circuit            Four Judges

Eighth Circuit                Three Judges

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            Three Judges."

Judicial Merit Selection Commission process

SECTION    3.    The Judicial Merit Selection Commission shall begin the process of nominating candidates for the judicial offices authorized by the provisions of SECTIONS 1 and 2. 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.

Time effective

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

Ratified the 16th day of June, 2022.

Approved the 17th day of June, 2022.