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H 4160

Judicial seats, circuit court

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bruce Bannister and 7 co-sponsors

The bill converts five at-large Circuit Court seats into resident seats assigned to specific circuits, reallocating judgeships without adding costs.

Act No. 50
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Bill Summary · H 4160

Summary — H. 4160: Judicial seats, circuit court (South Carolina)

Note: The file provided contains multiple different documents using the number H.4160 (including a Massachusetts cannabis modernization act). This summary covers the South Carolina bill titled “Judicial seats, circuit court,” as introduced in the South Carolina General Assembly in early 2025.

Purpose

To convert a set of statewide (at-large) Circuit Court judgeships into circuit‑resident judgeships by amending S.C. Code § 14‑5‑610, thereby assigning additional permanent resident judges to specific judicial circuits.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 14‑5‑610 to change the allocation of Circuit Court judgeships among the State’s sixteen judicial circuits.
  • Converts five at-large Circuit Court seats into resident seats assigned to specific circuits (see mapping below).
  • Reduces the number of at‑large (statewide) circuit judgeships by the number converted; the at‑large offices are separately numbered seats.
  • Provides that a judge currently serving in an at‑large seat that is converted to a resident seat is not required to undergo additional screening until the end of the term for which they were screened and elected to the at‑large seat.
  • The act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Specific seat conversions (as introduced)

The bill as introduced converts these at‑large seats into resident circuit seats:
- At‑large Circuit Court Seat 1 → Third Circuit Court Seat 3 (Third Circuit)
- At‑large Circuit Court Seat 6 → Twelfth Circuit Court Seat 2 (Twelfth Circuit)
- At‑large Circuit Court Seat 9 → Ninth Circuit Court Seat 5 (Ninth Circuit)
- At‑large Circuit Court Seat 13 → Eleventh Circuit Court Seat 3 (Eleventh Circuit)
- At‑large Circuit Court Seat 14 → Seventh Circuit Court Seat 3 (Seventh Circuit)

(Several later committee drafts and amendments circulated that added or altered conversions; see “Amendments & drafts” below.)

Who is affected

  • Judges: incumbents occupying at‑large seats that become resident seats (protected from immediate re‑screening until current term ends).
  • Judicial administration: resident circuits receiving additional judges will gain permanently assigned judicial capacity.
  • General Assembly: changes the pool of at‑large judges elected by the Legislature versus resident judges elected from circuits.

Fiscal impact

  • The Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (Judicial) indicated the conversion of at‑large seats to resident seats will have no material effect on state expenditures; the change is an allocation/labeling change rather than creation of new judgeships.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Introduced March 6, 2025.
  • Referred to House Judiciary; committee reports (favorable with amendments) and multiple drafts circulated in March–April 2025.
  • The bill provides that it becomes effective upon the Governor’s approval.

Amendments & versions

Multiple committee reports and substitute drafts were filed. Some later drafts proposed converting additional at‑large seats (and adjusted the numerical designations of seats and the total count of at‑large seats). Readers should consult the latest enrolled or enacted text (and any governor’s approval) to confirm the final seat mappings and the bill’s current legal status.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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