Subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum may only be issued upon a majority vote of the members of the committee, must be issued in the name of the committee, and must be signed by the committee chairman or the presiding officer who may administer oaths to witnesses. Subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum which are issued for a joint study committee of the General Assembly must be co-signed by both the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum which are issued by a standing committee of the Senate must be co-signed by the President of the Senate. Subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum which are issued by the House of Representatives must be co-signed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. If the President of the Senate refuses to co-sign the subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, the requirement that the subpoena or subpoena duces tecum must be co-signed by the President of the Senate may be suspended as to that particular subpoena or subpoena duces tecum by a majority vote of the members of the Senate present and voting. If the Speaker of the House of Representatives refuses to co-sign the subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, the requirement that the subpoena or subpoena duces tecum must be co-signed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives may be suspended as to that particular subpoena or subpoena duces tecum by a majority vote of the members of the House of Representatives present and voting. In determining whether or not to co-sign the subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives must conclude that:
(1) the information sought by the subpoena is within the scope of the committee's jurisdiction;
(2) the information is relevant to a legitimate legislative purpose;
(3) the nature of the information sought is as clearly described as possible in the subpoena or the authorizing resolution;
(4) the subpoena does not intrude impermissibly upon civil liberties;
(5) the revelation of the information subpoenaed would not unduly intrude into the decision-making processes of other branches of government; and
(6) a subpoena issued to a local government does not violate the provisions of Articles VII and VIII of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, and Title 4 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976.
HISTORY: 1986 Act No. 352, Section 4; 2019 Act No. 1 (S.2), Section 26, eff January 31, 2019.
Effect of Amendment
2019 Act No. 1, Section 26, in the introductory paragraph, substituted "President of the Senate" for "President Pro Tempore of the Senate" in five places.