S*0014(Rat #0236, Act #0205 of 2008)  General Bill, By Hayes, Campsen, Vaughn, 
Mescher, Knotts, Verdin, Alexander, Lourie and Malloy
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-770, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON NOT ALLOWED WITHIN THE GUARD RAIL OF A
 VOTING BOOTH, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE A DEPENDENT CHILD OF A QUALIFIED ELECTOR TO
 ACCOMPANY THE QUALIFIED ELECTOR IN THE VOTING BOOTH WHILE HE IS CASTING HIS
 BALLOT. - ratified title

   11/29/06  Senate Prefiled
   11/29/06  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/09/07  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-31
   01/09/07  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-31
   01/17/07  Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Martin (ch), Malloy,
                     Campsen, Williams
   02/07/07  Senate Committee report: Favorable Judiciary SJ-28
   02/08/07  Senate Read second time SJ-14
   02/13/07  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-16
   02/14/07  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-4
   02/14/07  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-4
   04/02/08  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-11
   04/08/08  House  Requests for debate-Rep(s). Hagood, GM Smith,
                     Clemmons, Haskins, Brantley, R Brown, Lucas,
                     Davenport, Hardwick, Crawford, Hosey, Clyburn,
                     Hayes, and Merrill HJ-19
   04/09/08  House  Committee Amendment Tabled
   04/09/08  House  Read second time HJ-81
   04/09/08  House  Roll call Yeas-109  Nays-0 HJ-83
   04/10/08  House  Read third time and enrolled HJ-47
   05/08/08         Ratified R 236
   05/14/08         Signed By Governor
   05/19/08         Copies available
   05/19/08         Effective date 05/14/08
   05/20/08         Act No. 205

(A205, R236, S14)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 7-13-770, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON NOT ALLOWED WITHIN THE GUARD RAIL OF A VOTING BOOTH, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE A DEPENDENT CHILD OF A QUALIFIED ELECTOR TO ACCOMPANY THE QUALIFIED ELECTOR IN THE VOTING BOOTH WHILE HE IS CASTING HIS BALLOT.

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

Persons qualified to accompany qualified elector in voting booth

SECTION    1.    Section 7-13-770 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-13-770.    (A)    A person other than a voter preparing his ballot is not allowed within the guard rail, except as provided in this section. A voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write shall make the fact known to the managers. The chairman of the managers shall appoint one of the managers and a person of the voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or agent of that employer or officer or agent of the voter's union to assist the voter in preparing his ballot. After the voter's ballot has been prepared, the person chosen by the voter to assist him immediately shall leave the vicinity of the guard rail. Instead of the above assistance, a person may have a member of his family or, in the case of a blind voter, a person of his choosing render him assistance in voting without the presence of a manager. The term 'family' means spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew.

(B)    Minor children of a qualified elector may accompany the qualified elector in the voting booth while he is casting his ballot. The qualified elector shall attest that the persons accompanying him are the minor children of the elector."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 8th day of May, 2008.

Approved the 14th day of May, 2008.