Current Status Bill Number:655 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19950322 Primary Sponsor:Courson, All Sponsors:Courson, Drummond, Thomas and Holland Drafted Document Number:RES9683.JEC Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Judiciary Committee 11 SJ Subject:Judicial Nominating Committee
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________ Senate 19950322 Introduced, read first time, 11 SJ referred to CommitteeView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, TITLE 2, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 2-1-115 SO AS TO PROHIBIT A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OR A FORMER MEMBER WITHIN TWO YEARS OF THE END OF HIS TERM FROM BEING ELECTED TO AN OFFICE OF HONOR OR PROFIT WHICH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTS AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, TITLE 14, BY ADDING SECTION 14-1-65 SO AS TO CREATE A NOMINATING COMMITTEE TO SELECT CANDIDATES FOR THE SUPREME COURT, COURT OF APPEALS, CIRCUIT COURTS, AND FAMILY COURTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 2 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 2-1-115. A member of the General Assembly, or a former member within two years of the end of his term, must not be elected to an office of honor or profit which the General Assembly elects."
SECTION 2. Chapter 1, Title 14 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 14-1-65. (A) There is created a Judicial Nominating Committee for the purpose of selecting and nominating candidates for positions on the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Courts, and Family Courts of South Carolina. The committee shall be composed of eighteen South Carolina citizens, none of whom may be members of the General Assembly. The committee shall be comprised of:
(1) six citizens appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court;
(2) six citizens appointed by the Governor;
(3) three citizens appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
(4) three citizens appointed by the President of the Senate.
(B) The committee shall:
(1) seek out qualified judicial candidates and may solicit judicial candidate nominations from any citizen; and
(2) make such inquiry into the qualifications of each candidate, including legal knowledge and ability, judicial temperament, experience, and moral character, as the committee deems appropriate in order to secure a list of up to five of the most highly qualified nominees to be submitted to the General Assembly for election."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.