H 3121 General Bill, By Putnam
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 2-1-180, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO CHANGE THE DATE
 THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MUST GIVE THIRD READING TO THE ANNUAL
 GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL WITHOUT EXTENDING THE SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT DATE
 FROM MARCH THIRTY-FIRST TO MARCH TENTH, AND TO EXTEND SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT BY
 ONE STATEWIDE DAY FOR EACH STATEWIDE DAY AFTER MAY TENTH THAT THE GENERAL
 ASSEMBLY FAILS TO RATIFY THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL.

   12/11/14  House  Prefiled
   12/11/14  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/13/15  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 104)
   01/13/15  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 104)

TO AMEND SECTION 2-1-180, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO CHANGE THE DATE THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MUST GIVE THIRD READING TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL WITHOUT EXTENDING THE SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT DATE FROM MARCH THIRTY-FIRST TO MARCH TENTH, AND TO EXTEND SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT BY ONE STATEWIDE DAY FOR EACH STATEWIDE DAY AFTER MAY TENTH THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FAILS TO RATIFY THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL.

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

Whereas, the annual general appropriations bill is one of the most important and time consuming pieces of legislation considered by the General Assembly each year; and

Whereas, due to its complexity, importance, and size, the General Assembly spends many weeks each year deliberating on the annual general appropriations bill; and

Whereas, though the annual general appropriations bill is worthy of the time spent, frequently, other pieces of important legislation fail to be enacted due to a small window of time between ratification of the annual general appropriations bill and the statutory sine die adjournment date; and

Whereas, meaningful legislation benefitting the lives of South Carolinians could become law if the General Assembly ratified the annual general appropriations bill sooner, thereby freeing up more time at the end of the session. Now, therefore,

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

SECTION    1.    Section 2-1-180 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 2-1-180.    The regular annual session of the General Assembly shall adjourn sine die each year not later than 5:00 p.m. on the first Thursday in June. In any year that the House of Representatives fails to give third reading to the annual General Appropriation Bill by March thirty-first tenth, the date of sine die adjournment is extended by one statewide day for each statewide day after March thirty-first tenth that the House of Representatives fails to give the bill third reading. Further, in any year that the General Assembly fails to ratify the annual General Appropriation Bill by May tenth, the date of the sine die adjournment is extended by one statewide day for each statewide day after May tenth that the General Assembly fails to ratify the bill. In the event that the House of Representatives fails to give the bill third reading by March tenth and the General Assembly fails to ratify the bill by May tenth, the date of the sine die adjournment is extended based on the date of ratification only. The session may also may be extended by concurrent resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of both the Senate and House of Representatives. During the time between 5:00 p.m. on the first Thursday in June and the extended sine die adjournment date, as set forth herein, no legislation or other business may be considered except the General Appropriation Bill and any matters approved for consideration by a concurrent resolution adopted by two-thirds vote in both houses."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and first applies to the 2016 session of the General Assembly.