Senate subcommittee advances bill setting county treasurer qualifications, plans follow-up on appointments language

A Senate subcommittee moved a favorable report on S.97, a bill that sets minimum qualifications for county treasurers, after a summary from staff and follow-up questions from senators.

Mister O'Donnell, staff to the subcommittee, told members the bill requires U.S. and South Carolina citizenship, that candidates be qualified electors of the county, and that they hold either a four-year bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration or economics or have at least four years of specified experience. The subcommittee amendment adds grandfathering for treasurers elected or appointed before Nov. 1, 2025, and a 40-hour training requirement for newly serving treasurers.

Members focused on subsection C, which governs appointed treasurers. One senator asked that the text explicitly read 'for an appointed treasurer by county council' to make clear which local body makes appointments in counties that use appointment rather than election. Committee members said they want to refine that insertion and examine historical practice: 'There are two counties, Greenwood and York, that have a county treasurer appointed by council,' Mr. O'Donnell told the committee. Several senators said they will work with staff to vet the precise language and may bring an amendment on the floor if needed.

The chair asked whether the committee would move the bill forward; members agreed to report the bill favorably as amended and to continue vetting subsection C in subcommittee to avoid unintended effects. The record shows the subcommittee committed to additional review prior to calendar action.

Next steps: committee staff and interested senators will draft clarifying language on appointment authority and bring it back to the subcommittee or floor as appropriate.