A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-100, RELATING TO THE ELIGIBILITY OF RETIRED JUDGES FOR APPOINTMENT, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A MORE FREQUENT REVIEW OF RETIRED JUDGE OR JUSTICE QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND TO PROVIDE FOR A RETENTION ELECTION.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Section 2-19-100 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    Section 2-19-100.  (A) In order to be eligible for appointment by the Chief Justice to serve, any retired justice or judge of this State must first have been reviewed by the South Carolina Judicial Merit Selection Commission under procedures it shall establish to review the retired judges' qualifications for continued judicial service and be found by the commission to be qualified to serve in these situations within four two years of the date of his appointment to serve, except that if a justice or judge retired within two years before the expiration of his then current term, no further review of that justice or judge is required until that term would have expired.

    (B) After the provisions in subsection (A) have been satisfied, the Chief Justice may appoint a retired justice or judge only after the retired judge has received a majority of the vote of the members of the General Assembly voting in joint session approving his eligibility to serve.

 

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

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