Constitutional Amendment

2025-2026 Bill 4716: Constitutional Amendment - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly

126th Session, 2025-2026

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H. 4716

STATUS INFORMATION

Joint Resolution

Sponsors: Reps. Oremus, Pope and White

Document Path: LC-0167AHB26.docx

Introduced in the House on January 13, 2026

Currently residing in the House

Summary: Constitutional Amendment
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

12/16/2025

House

Prefiled

12/16/2025

House

Referred to Committee on
Judiciary

1/13/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 65
)

1/13/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
House Journal-page 65
)

1/20/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: White

View the latest
legislative information
at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/17/2025

A joint Resolution

TO AMEND Section 26, ARTICLE V OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE appointment of magistrates, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT they SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR by and WITH THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RATHER THAN By the advice and consent of the senate; to provide for a majority vote of each chamber of the general assembly; to delete provisions providing the general assembly shall provide for magistrates' terms of office and their civil and criminal jurisdiction; and to provide for terms of office of magistrates of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualified.

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

SECTION 1. It is proposed that Section 26, Article V of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

Section 26. The Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate
General
Assembly
, shall appoint
a number of

magistrates
in such number
for each county as
may be
provided by law.
The General Assembly shall provide for their terms of office and their civil and criminal jurisdiction. The terms of office must be uniform throughout the State.
The General Assembly shall require a majority vote of each chamber. The terms of office of magistrates shall be four years and until their successors are appointed and qualified.

SECTION 2. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Must Section 26, Article V of the Constitution of this State, relating to the appointments of magistrates, be amended so as to provide that magistrates shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the General Assembly, rather than by and with the advise and consent of the Senate only; to provide for a majority vote of each chamber of the General Assembly; to delete provisions providing the General Assembly shall provide for magistrates' terms of office and their civil and criminal jurisdiction; and to provide for terms of office of magistrates of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualified?

Yes o

No o

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word 'Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word 'No'."

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This web page was last updated on January 20, 2026 at 1:31 PM