Senator Alexander proposes the following amendment (SR-4300.CEM0002S):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 9-8-50(E)(1) and inserting:

(1) A judge is vested in the system after attaining ten eight years of earned service in the position of judge, a solicitor is vested in the system after attaining eight years of earned service as a solicitor, and a circuit public defender is vested in the system after attaining eight years of earned service as a circuit public defender.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 9-8-60(1) and inserting:

 (1) A member of the system may retire upon written application to the board setting forth at what time, not later than the end of the calendar year in which the member attains age seventy-two seventy-four and not more than ninety days prior nor more than six months subsequent to the execution and filing thereof, the member desires to be retired, if the member at the time so specified for retirement is no longer in the service of the State, except as a member of the General Assembly or as allowed pursuant to subsection (7), and has completed ten eight years of earned service as a judge or eight years of earned service as a solicitor or circuit public defender or was in service as a judge or solicitor on July 1, 1984, and has either:
  (a) attained the age of sixty-five and completed at least twenty years of credited service;
  (b) attained age seventy and completed at least fifteen years of credited service; or
  (c) completed at least twenty-five years of credited service in the system for a judge, or twenty-four years of credited service in the system for a solicitor or circuit public defender, regardless of age. A member may retire under this section if the member was a member of this system as of June 30, 2004; attained age sixty-five with at least four years' earned service in the position of judge, solicitor, or circuit public defender; and, as of June 30, 2004, had a total of twenty-five years of credited service with the State in the South Carolina Retirement System, the Police Officers Retirement System, or the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly.
 A person receiving retirement allowances under this system who is elected to the General Assembly continues to receive the retirement allowances while serving in the General Assembly, and also must be a member of the retirement system unless the person files a statement with the board on a form prescribed by the board electing not to participate in the applicable system while a member of the General Assembly. A person making this election shall not make contributions to the applicable retirement system nor shall the State make contributions on the member's behalf and the person is not entitled to benefits from the applicable retirement system after ceasing to be a member of the General Assembly.

Amend the bill further, by striking SECTION 3 and inserting:

SECTION 3. Any judge who attains age seventy-two in 20252026 and whose current seat has been screened and a successor elected, may elect to stay active and continue to accrue earned service in the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors as long as he continues to serve as a judge in a full-time capacity, however once the judge reaches eight ten years of earned service in the system, he may not earn any further service credit.

Amend the bill further, by striking SECTION 4 and inserting:

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and applies to members who have not attained age seventy-four before January 1, 2026-2027.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.