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TO AMEND SECTION 2-19-80, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE NOMINATION OF QUALIFIED JUDICIAL CANDIDATES BY THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION FOR ELECTION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE ELECTION MUST BE HELD NO LATER THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER THE DATE OF THE COMMISSION'S NOMINATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND BY ADDING SECTION 2-20-75 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ELECTIONS FOR NONJUDICIAL CANDIDATES SCREENED BY A JOINT COMMITTEE MUST BE HELD NO LATER THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER THE DATE THE FINDINGS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE AS TO THE QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICES SOUGHT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNALS OF BOTH HOUSES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 2-19-80(E) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 49 of 2001, is further amended to read:
"(E) A period of at least two weeks must elapse between the date of the commission's nominations to the General Assembly and the date the General Assembly conducts the election for these judgeships. The election must be held no later than three weeks after the date of the commission's nominations to the General Assembly."
SECTION 2. Chapter 20, Title 2 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 2-20-75. Except as to other times required by Section 2-20-35, elections for candidates screened by a joint committee under this chapter must be held no later than three weeks after the date the findings of the joint committee as to the qualifications of candidates for the offices sought have been published in the journals of both houses."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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