H*4877(Rat #0270, Act #0253 of 2016)  General Bill, By Delleney, Pitts, Lucas, 
Bannister and Whipper
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-40, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO FAMILY COURT JUDGES ELECTED FROM EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SO
 AS TO ADD TWO ADDITIONAL FAMILY COURT JUDGES WHO SHALL BE AT LARGE AND MUST BE
 ELECTED WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR COUNTY OR CIRCUIT OF RESIDENCE. - ratified
 title

   02/10/16  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 46)
   02/10/16  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 46)
   03/10/16  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary
                     (House Journal-page 30)
   03/15/16  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Whipper
   03/16/16  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 62)
   03/16/16  House  Roll call Yeas-112  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 63)
   03/17/16  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 18)
   03/17/16  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 15)
   03/17/16  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 15)
   03/18/16  Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Campsen (ch), Malloy, Massey
   04/20/16  Senate Committee report: Favorable Judiciary
                     (Senate Journal-page 9)
   05/11/16  Senate Second Reading Failed (Senate Journal-page 53)
   05/11/16  Senate Roll call Ayes-6  Nays-35 (Senate Journal-page 53)
   05/17/16  Senate Reconsider vote whereby read second time
                     (Senate Journal-page 46)
   05/26/16  Senate Second Reading Failed (Senate Journal-page 22)
   05/26/16  Senate Roll call Ayes-15  Nays-24 (Senate Journal-page 22)
   06/01/16  Senate Reconsidered (Senate Journal-page 49)
   06/01/16  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 49)
   06/01/16  Senate Roll call Ayes-21  Nays-18 (Senate Journal-page 49)
   06/02/16  Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 50)
   06/02/16         Ratified R 270
   06/07/16         Signed By Governor
   06/14/16         Effective date 06/07/16
   06/14/16         Act No. 253

(A253, R270, H4877)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-40, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FAMILY COURT JUDGES ELECTED FROM EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SO AS TO ADD TWO ADDITIONAL FAMILY COURT JUDGES WHO SHALL BE AT LARGE AND MUST BE ELECTED WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR COUNTY OR CIRCUIT OF RESIDENCE.

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

Family Court judges, two additional at-large judgeships created

SECTION    1.    Section 63-3-40 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 241 of 2012, is further 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                                                    Three Judges

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                                                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                                            Two Judges

(B)    In the following judicial circuits at least one family court judge must be a resident of each county in the circuit: fifth, seventh, tenth, twelfth, thirteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth. In those judicial circuits made up of three or more counties, at least one family court judge must be a resident of one of the counties which does not have the largest population in the circuit. In the ninth circuit, both counties in the circuit must have at least two resident family court judges.

(C)    No county in the sixth circuit shall have more than one resident family court judge.

(D)    In addition to the judges authorized by this section, there must be eight additional family court judges elected by the General Assembly from the State at large for terms of office of six years. These additional judges must be elected without regard to county or circuit of residence. Each office of the at-large judges is a separate office and is assigned numerical designations of Seat No. 1 through Seat No. 8, respectively."

Judicial Merit Selection Commission to begin screening

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.

Time effective

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 2nd day of June, 2016.

Approved the 7th day of June, 2016.