Current Status Bill Number:150 Type of Legislation:Joint Resolution JR Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19950110 Primary Sponsor:McConnell All Sponsors:McConnell, Rose Drafted Document Number:GJK\21066SD.95 Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Judiciary Committee 11 SJ Subject:Grand, petit juries
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________ Senate 19950110 Introduced, read first time, 11 SJ referred to Committee Senate 19941017 Prefiled, referred to Committee 11 SJView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 22, ARTICLE V OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO GRAND AND PETIT JURIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE PETIT JURY OF THE CIRCUIT COURT RATHER THAN TWELVE MEMBERS SHALL CONSIST OF THAT NUMBER OF JURORS PROVIDED BY LAW AND THAT THE NUMBER OF JURORS OF OTHER COURTS OF THIS STATE MUST ALSO BE AS PROVIDED BY LAW.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. It is proposed that Section 22, Article V of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:
"Section 22. The petit jury of the Circuit Court and juries of other courts shall consist of twelve members and the that number of jurors of other courts must be determined provided by law. All jurors in any trial court must agree to a verdict in order to render the same. The grand jury of each county, and the state grand jury, as the General Assembly may establish by general law, shall consist of eighteen members, twelve of whom must agree in a matter before it can be submitted to the Court. Each juror must be a resident of this State and have such other qualifications as the General Assembly may prescribe."
SECTION 2. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:
"Must Section 22, Article V of the Constitution of this State relating to grand and petit juries be amended so as to provide that the petit jury of the Circuit Court rather than twelve members shall consist of that number of jurors provided by law and that the number of jurors of other courts of this State must also be as provided by law?
Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."