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2025-2026 Bill 4930: Constitution, Governor to appoint Judicial Merit Selection Commission - South Carolina Legislature Online
South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4930
STATUS INFORMATION
Joint Resolution
Sponsors: Rep. C. Mitchell
Document Path: LC-0197AHB26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 14, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Judiciary
Summary: Constitution, Governor to appoint Judicial Merit Selection Commission
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date
Body
Action Description with journal page number
1/14/2026
House
Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 92
)
1/14/2026
House
Referred to Committee on
Judiciary
(
House Journal-page 92
)
View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/14/2026
A joint Resolution
PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 27, ARTICLE V OF THE
CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION
COMMISSION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION
COMMISSION MUST BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
S
ECTION 1.
I
t is proposed that Section 27, Article V of the
Constitution of this State be amended to read:
S
ection 27.
In addition to the qualifications for circuit court and court of appeals judges
and Supreme Court justices contained in this article, the General Assembly by
law shall establish a Judicial Merit Selection Commission to consider the
qualifications and fitness of candidates for all judicial positions on these
courts and on other courts of this State which are filled by election of the
General Assembly. The General Assembly must elect the judges and justices from
among the nominees of the commission to fill a vacancy on these courts.
N
o person may be
elected to these judicial positions unless he or she has been found qualified
by the commission. Before a sitting member of the General Assembly may submit
an application with the commission for his nomination to a judicial office, and
before the commission may accept or consider such an application, the member of
the General Assembly must first resign his office and have been out of office
for a period established by law. Before a member of the commission may submit
an application with the commission for his nomination to a judicial office, and
before the commission may accept or consider such an application, the member of
the commission must not have been a member of the commission for a period to be
established by law.
T
he
Governor shall appoint all members of the commission to serve terms established
by law.
S
ECTION 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 27,
Article V of the Constitution of this State, relating to the Judicial Merit
Selection Commission,
be amended so as to provide for appointment by the
Governor of all members of the Judicial Merit Selection Commission for terms
established by law?
Y
es
o
N
o
o
T
hose 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 14, 2026 at 3:44 PM