Sen. Josh Kimbrell

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-10, RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION AND THE COMMISSION'S APPOINTMENT, QUALIFICATIONS, AND TERM, SO AS TO REVISE THE MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS OF THE COMMISSION; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-20, RELATING TO INVESTIGATION BY COMMISSION AND THE PUBLICATION OF VACANCIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE INVESTIGATION SHALL INCLUDE THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR ASSESSMENT OF THE CANDIDATE, THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE ASSESSMENT OF THE CANDIDATE, AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY FROM ANY WITNESS APPEARING BEFORE THE COMMISSION; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-80, RELATING TO THE NOMINATION OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES BY THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION, SO AS TO CHANGE THE COMMISSION'S PROCESS FOR NOMINATING JUDICIAL CANDIDATES FROM THE NOMINATION OF THREE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO THE RELEASE OF A LIST OF ALL QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-90, RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF JUDGES BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO REQUIRE A MAJORITY VOTE FROM EACH HOUSE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-10, RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION, APPOINTMENT, QUALIFICATIONS, AND TERMS, SO AS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS FROM TEN TO SEVEN, AND TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERSHIP ON THE COMMISSION SHALL BE THE GOVERNOR AND SIX MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AT LARGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-40, RELATING TO EXEMPTION FROM HEARING, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION MAY REQUEST THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE MAY BE WAIVED UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-60, RELATING TO POWERS OF COMMISSION, SO AS TO PROVIDE SUBSECTION DESIGNATIONS TO CURRENTLY UNDESIGNATED PARAGRAPHS; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-70, RELATING TO PROHIBITION AGAINST DUAL OFFICES, PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR, AND PLEDGES, SO AS TO REMOVE A REFERENCE TO CERTAIN COMMISSIONERS; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-80, RELATING TO NOMINATION OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ALL CANDIDATES FOUND QUALIFIED MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-90, RELATING TO APPROVAL OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN JOINT SESSION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHALL ANNOUNCE THE COMMISSION'S NOMINEES FOR EACH JUDICIAL RACE AT THE JOINT ASSEMBLY TO ELECT JUDGES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 8-13-745, RELATING TO PAID REPRESENTATION OF CLIENTS AND CONTRACTING BY MEMBER OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY OR ASSOCIATE IN PARTICULAR SITUATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ARE PROHIBITED FROM REPRESENTING CLIENTS FOR A FEE BEFORE A COURT IN THE UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM OR EQUITY COURTS IF THE MEMBER VOTED IN JUDICIAL ELECTIONS OR THE CONFIRMATION OF MASTERS-IN-EQUITY DURING THE PRECEDING TWELVE MONTHS.

A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 27, ARTICLE V OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF JUDGES BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE BY WHICH THE GOVERNOR APPOINTS JUDGES AND JUSTICES RATHER THAN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTING JUDGES AND JUSTICES.

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-10, RELATING TO JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, QUALIFICATIONS, AND TERMS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION SHALL CONSIST OF SEVEN MEMBERS APPOINTED FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND AT LEAST TWO OF THE MEMBERS MUST NOT BE LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-20, RELATING TO INVESTIGATION BY COMMISSION; PUBLICATION OF VACANCIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT AN INCUMBENT JUDGE SHALL NOTIFY THE SUPREME COURT OF HIS INTEREST IN CONTINUING TO SERVE ON THE BENCH RATHER THAN SEEKING RE-ELECTION AND MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-30, RELATING TO HEARINGS; EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED AT THE HEARING AND FINDINGS OF FACT BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT AND ALSO PROVIDED TO THE GOVERNOR; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-70, RELATING TO PROHIBITION AGAINST DUAL OFFICES, PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR, AND PLEDGES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CANDIDATES MAY BE APPOINTED, RATHER THAN ELECTED; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-80, RELATING TO NOMINATION OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-90, RELATING TO APPROVAL OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN JOINT SESSION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE GOVERNOR SHALL TRANSMIT JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS TO THE SENATE FOR ITS ADVICE AND CONSENT; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-100, RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY OF RETIRED JUDGES FOR APPOINTMENT, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES.

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-70, RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION AGAINST DUAL OFFICE HOLDING, SO AS TO EXTEND THE PROHIBITION TO THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER OF A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS.

A SENATE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE CLAUDE R. MCMILLAN III UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SECURITY FOR THE L. MARION GRESSETTE BUILDING, TO COMMEND HIM FOR HIS THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE, AND TO WISH HIM MUCH HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

A SENATE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE MARTHA CASTO UPON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT, TO COMMEND HER FOR HER FORTY-ONE YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE, AND TO WISH HER MUCH HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 7-15-420(D) AND (E), RELATING TO THE TABULATION OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BALLOTS CAST DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD MAY BEGIN TO BE TABULATED AT THE SAME TIME AS ABSENTEE BALLOTS.

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 36-1-201, RELATING TO THE DEFINITION OF "MONEY", SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MONEY DOES NOT INCLUDE A CENTRAL BANK DIGITAL CURRENCY.

A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7, ARTICLE III AND SECTION 1, ARTICLE VI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE FOR OFFICERS OF THIS STATE, RESPECTIVELY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OFFICERS OF THIS STATE MUST PASS A TEST ON THE CONTENT AND CONTEXT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.