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South Carolina · 2025-2026 Regular Session · Bill

H 4755: Judicial Selection Reform

Passed one chamber Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

H 4755 is a bill introduced in the South Carolina House on December 16, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Judicial Selection Reform. Primary sponsor: Gil Gatch (Republican), Jackie Terribile (Republican), David Vaughan (Republican), Joe White (Republican), Bill Whitmire (Republican), Mark Willis (Republican), Richie Yow (Republican), Shannon Erickson (Republican), Bill Chumley (Republican), Greg Ford (Republican), John Lastinger (Republican), Murrell Smith (Republican), Weston Newton (Republican), Micah Caskey (Republican), Jay Jordan (Republican), William Bailey (Republican), Nathan Ballentine (Republican), Gary Brewer (Republican), Case Brittain (Republican), Don Chapman (Republican), Heather Crawford (Republican), April Cromer (Republican), Sylleste Davis (Republican), Adam Duncan (Republican), Sarita Edgerton (Republican), Cal Forrest (Republican), Craig Gagnon (Republican), Doug Gilliam (Republican), Val Guest (Republican), Brandon Guffey (Republican), Bill Hager (Republican), Kevin Hardee (Republican), Charlie Hartz (Republican), Bill Herbkersman (Republican), Lee Hewitt (Republican), Davey Hiott (Republican), Bill Hixon (Republican), Harriet Holman (Republican), Chris Huff (Republican), Jay Kilmartin (Republican), Brian Lawson (Republican), Steven Long (Republican), Phillip Lowe (Republican), Josiah Magnuson (Republican), David Martin (Republican), John McCravy (Republican), Tim McGinnis (Republican), Cody Mitchell (Republican), Brandon Newton (Republican), Melissa Oremus (Republican), Jordan Pace (Republican), Fawn Pedalino (Republican), Tommy Pope (Republican), Luke Rankin (Republican), Blake Sanders (Republican), Carla Schuessler (Republican), Heath Sessions (Republican), Mark Smith (Republican), Bill Taylor (Republican), James Teeple (Republican), Paul Wickensimer (Republican), Phillip Bowers (Republican), Dianne Mitchell (Republican), Lee Gilreath (Republican). Most recent recorded action (February 12, 2026): Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTIONS 2-19-5, 2-19-20, 2-19-30, 2-19-35, 2-19-50, 2-19-60 AND 2-19-70, ALL RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA JUDICIAL MERIT SELECTION COMMISSION SCREENING AND ELECTION OF JUSTICES AND JUDGES, SO AS TO REVISE THE STAFFING AND APPOINTMENT PROCESS OF THE COMMISSION AND TRANSFER THAT AUTHORITY TO THE GOVERNOR, TO PROHIBIT SITTING MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CERTAIN FAMILY MEMBERS FROM SERVING ON THE COMMISSION, TO PROHIBIT THE COMMISSION FROM CONSIDERING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION CRITERIA ALONG WITH OTHER SIMILAR CRITERIA, AND TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 64

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Gil GatchPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse94
Jackie TerribilePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse66
David VaughanPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse27
Joe WhitePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse40
Bill WhitmirePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse1
Mark WillisPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse16
Richie YowPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse53
Shannon EricksonPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse124
Bill ChumleyPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse35
Greg FordPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse98
John LastingerPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse88
Murrell SmithPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse67
Weston NewtonPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse120
Micah CaskeyPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse89
Jay JordanPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse63
William BaileyPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse104
Nathan BallentinePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse71
Gary BrewerPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse114
Case BrittainPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse107
Don ChapmanPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse8
Heather CrawfordPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse68
April CromerPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse6
Sylleste DavisPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse100
Adam DuncanPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse2
Sarita EdgertonPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse34
Cal ForrestPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse39
Craig GagnonPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse11
Doug GilliamPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse42
Val GuestPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse106
Brandon GuffeyPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse48
Bill HagerPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse122
Kevin HardeePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse105
Charlie HartzPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse81
Bill HerbkersmanPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse118
Lee HewittPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse108
Davey HiottPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse4
Bill HixonPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse83
Harriet HolmanPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse102
Chris HuffPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse28
Jay KilmartinPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse85
Brian LawsonPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse30
Steven LongPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse37
Phillip LowePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse60
Josiah MagnusonPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse38
David MartinPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse26
John McCravyPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse13
Tim McGinnisPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse56
Cody MitchellPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse65
Brandon NewtonPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse45
Melissa OremusPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse84
Jordan PacePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse117
Fawn PedalinoPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse64
Tommy PopePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse47
Luke RankinPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse14
Blake SandersPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse9
Carla SchuesslerPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse61
Heath SessionsPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse46
Mark SmithPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse99
Bill TaylorPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse86
James TeeplePrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse116
Paul WickensimerPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse22
Phillip BowersPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse3
Dianne MitchellPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse21
Lee GilreathPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse7

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Referred to Committee on Judiciary
  2. Introduced and read first time
  3. Roll call Yeas-71 Nays-10
  4. Read third time and sent to Senate
  5. Roll call Yeas-86 Nays-25
  6. Read second time
  7. Amended
  8. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: D.Mitchell, Gilreath
  9. Requests for debate-Rep(s). B Newton, Hewitt, Cox, Lawson, McCravy, Long, White, Edgerton, Magnuson, Hixon, Taylor, Hartz, Cromer
  10. Scrivener's error corrected
  11. Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Bowers
  12. Committee report: Favorable Judiciary

Showing 12 most recent of 18 actions. Full history

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source