A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS TO REENACT SECTION 14-23-1040 OF THE S.C. CODE RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PROBATE JUDGES; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE REENACTED SECTION 14-23-1040 SHALL BE ENFORCEABLE BEGINNING ON MARCH 1, 2025.

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

SECTION 1.  Section 14-23-1040 of the S.C. Code as amended by 1988 Act No. 678, Part IV, Section 3, relating to eligibility requirements for Probate Judges, is reenacted to read:

    Section 14-23-1040. No person is eligible to hold the office of judge of probate who is not at the time of his election a citizen of the United States and of this State, has not attained the age of twenty-one years upon his election, has not become a qualified elector of the county in which he is to be a judge, and has not received a four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited post-secondary institution or, if he has received no degree, he must have four years' experience as an employee in a probate judge's office in this State.

SECTION 2.  Section 14-23-1040 of the S.C. Code as reenacted by this act is enforceable beginning on March 1, 2025.

SECTION 3.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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