SC H 3530

in committee

Magistrates' Reform Act

South Carolina · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Description

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 2-19-115 SO AS TO REQUIRE CANDIDATES FOR MAGISTRATE POSITIONS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER JUDICIAL CANDIDATES UPON VACANCIES, AND TO DEFINE WHEN VACANCIES OCCUR; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-1-10, RELATING TO APPOINTMENT, TERM AND TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, OR RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF MAGISTRATES, SO AS TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES AND LIMITATIONS ON MAGISTRATES' HOLDOVER STATUS AND TO REQUIRE MAGISTRATES GOING FORWARD TO HOLD A JURIS DOCTOR DEGREE AND BE A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-1-15, RELATING TO MAGISTRATES PRESENTLY SERVING, SO AS TO GRANDFATHER MAGISTRATES SERVING IN OFFICE ON JUNE 30, 2025; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-3-10, RELATING TO CIVIL JURISDICTION IN MAGISTRATES COURT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE CIVIL JURISDICTION OF MAGISTRATES COURT; BY AMENDING SECTION 22-3-550, RELATING TO CRIMINAL JURISDICTION IN MAGISTRATES COURT, SO AS TO INCREASE THE CRIMINAL JURISDICTION OF MAGISTRATES COURT; AND BY REPEALING SECTIONS 22-2-10 AND 22-2-15 RELATING TO A SCREENING COMMITTEE TO ASSIST IN THE SELECTION OF MAGISTRATES AND THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR NONPARTISAN SELECTION OF MAGISTRATES, RESPECTIVELY.

Introduced: 2025-01-14
Status date: —
Latest action: 2026-03-25 — Recommitted to Committee on Judiciary
Bill type: bill
Last updated: —

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

2024-12-05
Prefiled
filing
2024-12-05
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
referral-committee
2025-01-14
Introduced and read first time
introduction,reading-1
2025-01-14
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
referral-committee
2025-01-28
Member(s) request name removed as sponsor: Pedalino
2025-01-29
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Bernstein
2026-01-29
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Vaughan
2026-02-04
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: C.Mitchell, Robbins, T.Moore
2026-02-05
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
committee-passage-favorable
2026-02-10
Scrivener's error corrected
2026-02-11
Debate adjourned until Thur., 2-12-26
2026-02-12
Debate adjourned until Tues., 2-17-26
2026-02-17
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Henderson-Myers
2026-02-17
Debate adjourned
2026-02-18
Debate adjourned
2026-02-19
Debate adjourned
2026-02-24
Debate adjourned until Wed., 2-25-26
2026-02-24
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Gilliard
2026-02-25
Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Williams
2026-02-25
Debate adjourned
2026-02-26
Debate adjourned
2026-03-03
Debate adjourned until Tuesday, March 24.
2026-03-24
Debate adjourned
2026-03-25
Recommitted to Committee on Judiciary
referral-committee

Versions

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Documents

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Votes

Not provided by source.

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3530&session=126&summary=B

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:32:06.227230Z

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