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A7, R18, H3529
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. W. Newton, Bannister, Caskey, Wooten, Spann-Wilder, Calhoon, Ballentine, Robbins, Mitchell and Weeks
Companion/Similar bill(s): 3521
Document Path: LC-0081AHB25.docx
Introduced in the House on January 14, 2025
Introduced in the Senate on February 13, 2025
Currently residing in the Senate
Governor's Action: April 28, 2025, Signed
Summary: Family Court Judges, additional
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
| Date | Body | Action Description with journal page number |
|---|---|---|
| 12/5/2024 | House | Prefiled |
| 12/5/2024 | House | Referred to Committee on Judiciary |
| 1/14/2025 | House | Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 235) |
| 1/14/2025 | House | Referred to Committee on Judiciary (House Journal-page 235) |
| 2/5/2025 | House | Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Calhoon, Ballentine |
| 2/6/2025 | House | Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Robbins, Mitchell |
| 2/6/2025 | House | Committee report: Favorable Judiciary (House Journal-page 4) |
| 2/12/2025 | House | Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Weeks |
| 2/12/2025 | House | Read second time (House Journal-page 32) |
| 2/12/2025 | House | Roll call Yeas-106 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 32) |
| 2/13/2025 | House | Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 12) |
| 2/13/2025 | Senate | Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 12) |
| 2/13/2025 | Senate | Referred to Committee on Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 12) |
| 2/27/2025 | Senate | Referred to Subcommittee: Elliott (ch), Cash, Tedder, Devine, Fernandez, Kennedy, Walker |
| 3/12/2025 | Senate | Committee report: Favorable Judiciary (Senate Journal-page 9) |
| 3/13/2025 | Scrivener's error corrected | |
| 3/18/2025 | Senate | Read second time (Senate Journal-page 17) |
| 3/18/2025 | Senate | Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 17) |
| 3/19/2025 | Senate | Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 8) |
| 4/24/2025 | Ratified R 18 | |
| 4/28/2025 | Signed By Governor | |
| 5/7/2025 | Effective date 04/28/25 | |
| 5/7/2025 | Act No. 7 |
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
12/05/2024
02/06/2025
03/12/2025
03/13/2025
NOTE: THIS IS A TEMPORARY VERSION. THIS DOCUMENT WILL REMAIN IN THIS VERSION UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
(A7, R18, H3529)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 63-3-40, RELATING TO FAMILY COURT JUDGES ELECTED FROM EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, SO AS TO INCREASE BY ONE THE NUMBER OF FAMILY COURT JUDGES IN THE NINTH, ELEVENTH, AND FOURTEENTH CIRCUITS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Additional Family Court judges
SECTION 1. Section 63-3-40(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
(A) The General Assembly shall elect a number of family court judges from each judicial circuit as follows:
First Circuit Four Judges
Second Circuit Two Judges
Third Circuit Three Judges
Fourth Circuit Three Judges
Fifth Circuit Four Judges
Sixth Circuit Two Judges
Seventh Circuit Four Judges
Eighth Circuit Three Judges
Ninth Circuit Seven Judges
Tenth Circuit Three Judges
Eleventh Circuit Four Judges
Twelfth Circuit Three Judges
Thirteenth Circuit Six Judges
Fourteenth Circuit Four Judges
Fifteenth Circuit Three Judges
Sixteenth Circuit Three Judges
Judicial Screening, funding contingency
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. The General Assembly then shall elect these judges from the nominees of the commission; except that, the nominating process may not begin until funding for the additional judges is provided in the general appropriations act.
Time effective
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 24th day of April, 2025.
Approved the 28th day of April, 2025.
This web page was last updated on May 8, 2025 at 10:23 AM