Bill 3625

                    Current Status

Introducing Body:               House
Bill Number:                    3625
Ratification Number:            320
Act Number:                     293
Primary Sponsor:                Kinon
Type of Legislation:            GB
Subject:                        Public Service Commission,
                                nomination
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   Mar 18, 1992
Computer Document Number:       436/11216.DW
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      Mar 26, 1992
Introduced Date:                Feb 28, 1991
Date of Last Amendment:         Feb 20, 1992
Last History Body:              ------
Last History Date:              Mar 26, 1992
Last History Type:              Act No. 293
Scope of Legislation:           Statewide
All Sponsors:                   Kinon
                                Haskins
                                Quinn
                                Harwell
                                Burch
                                J. Harris
                                Carnell
                                McAbee
                                Cato
                                L. Elliott
                                Wright
                                Rama
                                J. Brown
                                Cooper
Type of Legislation:            General Bill

 Bill  Body    Date          Action Description              CMN
 ----  ------  ------------  ------------------------------  ---
 3625  ------  Mar 26, 1992  Act No. 293
 3625  ------  Mar 26, 1992  Signed by Governor
 3625  ------  Mar 25, 1992  Ratified R 320
 3625  House   Mar 18, 1992  Concurred in Senate
                             amendment, enrolled for
                             ratification
 3625  House   Mar 05, 1992  Debate adjourned on Senate
                             amendments until Tuesday,
                             March 17, 1992
 3625  Senate  Feb 25, 1992  Read third time, returned to
                             House with amendment
 3625  Senate  Feb 20, 1992  Amended, read second time,
                             ordered to third reading with
                             notice of general amendments
 3625  Senate  Feb 19, 1992  Committee Report: Favorable     11
 3625  Senate  May 23, 1991  Introduced, read first time,    11
                             referred to Committee
 3625  House   May 22, 1991  Read third time, sent to
                             Senate
 3625  House   May 16, 1991  Amended, read second time
 3625  House   May 09, 1991  Committee Report: Favorable     25
                             with amendment
 3625  House   Feb 28, 1991  Introduced, read first time,    25
                             referred to Committee

(A293, R320, H3625)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 58-3-23, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PROCEDURE FOR THE NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE MERIT SELECTION PANEL BY A VOTE OF SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF ITS TOTAL MEMBERSHIP INSTEAD OF UNANIMOUS VOTE TO SUBMIT, IN ADDITION TO THE NUMBER OF NAMES AUTHORIZED, FOUR NAMES FOR A VACANCY.

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

Nomination of candidates

SECTION 1. The first paragraph of Section 58-3-23 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A) The Merit Selection Panel shall nominate candidates for election to the South Carolina Public Service Commission in the manner provided in this section. When a vacancy occurs on the Public Service Commission after July 1, 1979, by reason of expiration of a term or otherwise, or when the number of members of the Public Service Commission is to be increased or decreased, the Merit Selection Panel shall submit to the General Assembly while in regular or special session the names of two persons qualified as candidates to fill the vacancy and in selecting persons for nomination to the Public Service Commission they shall endeavor to select the most qualified persons for each vacancy. However, the panel, by a vote of seventy-five percent of its total membership, may submit only one name, three names or four names for a vacancy. Each name submitted must receive eight votes from the panel before submission to the General Assembly not less than ninety days before the expiration of the term of a member of the commission elected under the provisions of this chapter. Upon selecting persons for nomination to the commission their names must be made public and submitted to the General Assembly for election or nonelection. If the General Assembly is not in regular or special session when such vacancy occurs, the Merit Selection Panel shall submit the names in the same manner as provided in this section to the General Assembly at the beginning of its next regular or special session. The General Assembly shall elect one of the candidates to fill the vacancy on the Public Service Commission. However, nothing prevents the General Assembly from rejecting all candidates nominated. If the General Assembly rejects the persons first nominated, the Merit Selection Panel shall submit in the same manner as provided in this section the names of other persons qualified as candidates. Further nominations shall continue to be made until the vacancy is filled. Nothing may be considered to exclude incumbent members of the commission from being eligible for re-election to the commission and the Merit Selection Panel when submitting the names of persons qualified as candidates for election to the commission may include names of incumbent members."

Time effective

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

Approved the 26th day of March, 1992.