Bill 865

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       865
Type of Legislation:               General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                  Senate
Introduced Date:                   19980114
Primary Sponsor:                   McConnell 
All Sponsors:                      McConnell, Reese and
                                   Mescher
Drafted Document Number:           jud9015.gfm
Residing Body:                     House
Current Committee:                 Judiciary Committee 25 HJ
Date of Last Amendment:            19980212
Subject:                           Family court judges, election
                                   of; former member of General
                                   Assembly not allowed to be elected
                                   as

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

House   19980217  Introduced, read first time,             25 HJ
                  referred to Committee
Senate  19980212  Amended, read third time,
                  sent to House
Senate  19980205  Read second time, notice of
                  general amendments
Senate  19980204  Committee report: Favorable              11 SJ
Senate  19980114  Introduced, read first time,             11 SJ
                  referred to Committee
Senate  19971215  Prefiled, referred to Committee          11 SJ

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

February 12, 1998

S. 865

S. Printed 2/12/98--S.

Read the first time January 14, 1998.

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-1370, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS OF FAMILY COURT JUDGES, SO AS TO DELETE A PROVISION ALLOWING A FORMER MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO BE ELECTED TO A FAMILY COURT JUDGESHIP NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW.

Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. The first paragraph of Section 20-7-1370(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Part III, Section 3 of Act No. 391 of 1996, is further amended to read:

"A. No person shall be eligible to the office of family court judge who is not at the time of his assuming the duties of such the office a citizen of the United States and of this State, and has not attained the age of thirty-two years, has not been a licensed attorney at law for at least eight years, and has not been a resident of this State for five years next preceding his election, and is not a resident of the circuit wherein the family court of which he is a judge is located. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any former member of the General Assembly may be elected to the office of family court judge."

SECTION 2. Section 20-7-420 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act No. 71, Section 39 of 1997, is further amended by adding a new subitem at the end to read:

"( ) to order sibling visitation where the court finds it is in the best interest of the children."

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