A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-5, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION, SO AS TO CHANGE THE MEMBERSHIP AND QUALIFICATIONS OF THE COMMISSION.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Section 2-19-5(A) through (C) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    (A) There is created the South Carolina Judicial Merit Selection Commission composed of twelve ten members who must be appointed as follows:

       (1) four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and of these appointments:

           (a) three members must be members of the House of Representatives;  and

           (b) one member must be selected from the South Carolina Bar who must be a member of the Bar in good standing with ten years' experience in the practice of law;

       (2) four members appointed by the Senate and of these appointments:

           (a) two members must be appointed by the President of the Senate one of whom must be a member of the Senate and one of whom must be selected from the South Carolina Bar and must be a member in good standing with ten years' experience in the practice of law;  and

           (b) two members must be appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee both of whom must be members of the Senate;  and

       (3) four members appointed by the Governor all of which must be members in good standing of the South Carolina Bar with at least ten years' experience in the practice of law appointed by the Governor.

    (B)(1) No person is eligible for appointment if he individually contributed to a campaign of one of the appointing authoritiesthe Governor in the most recent election or served as a member of the General Assembly within five years before the appointment.  Nonlegislative members may not be a public employee or serve in another elected office.

       (2) No member of the General Assembly is eligible for appointment if he is an active practicing attorney.

    (C) Members of the commission shall serve for a term of two years and may serve no more than two consecutive terms.  However, a member of the House of Representatives or Senate who ceases to serve as a member of the General Assembly will have his service on the commission terminated upon the end of his service in the General Assembly.  Additionally, a member appointed to fill a vacancy in an unexpired term may serve two full terms thereafter.  The initial appointments must be made as follows:

       (1) one member each appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to subsection (A)(1)(a) and (b) shall serve an initial term of one year and may be reappointed to a following two-year term;

       (2) one member each appointed by the President of the Senate and the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee pursuant to subsection (A)(2)(a) and (b) shall serve an initial term of one year and may be reappointed to a following two-year term;  and

       (3) two members appointed by the Governor pursuant to subsection (A)(3) shall serve an initial term of one year and may be reappointed to a following two-year term.

 

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

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