H 4337 General Bill, By Lanford, Inabinett, Kirsh, Richardson and Vaughn
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 59-19-35 so as to provide that candidates for election to the office of school
 board trustee who must use the petition method to get on the ballot are only
 required to use this petition method once and thereafter may get on the ballot
 for election to this office by filing a declaration of candidacy, and to
 require a filing fee to be paid with the declaration of candidacy.

   12/06/95  House  Prefiled
   12/06/95  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/09/96  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-59
   01/09/96  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-59

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-19-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE OFFICE OF SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE WHO MUST USE THE PETITION METHOD TO GET ON THE BALLOT ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO USE THIS PETITION METHOD ONCE AND THEREAFTER MAY GET ON THE BALLOT FOR ELECTION TO THIS OFFICE BY FILING A DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY, AND TO REQUIRE A FILING FEE TO BE PAID WITH THE DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY.

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

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-19-35. Where the only method provided by law for a candidate to appear on the ballot for election as a school board trustee is by securing a stipulated number of signatures of the qualified electors of the district on a petition, candidates for these offices whether successful or unsuccessful are only required to obtain the requisite number of signatures on a petition once. Thereafter, notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, these candidates may offer for election or reelection to this office by filing a declaration of candidacy with the entity responsible for the conduct of the election. The declaration of candidacy shall contain the candidate's name, address, age, period of residence in the district, and such other information as the entity responsible for conducting the election may require in order to verify the candidate's eligibility for the office to which he seeks election.

In addition to this declaration of candidacy, a filing fee equal to ten percent of the annual compensation for the office sought, or fifty dollars, whichever is greater, is required to be paid with the declaration of candidacy, if no other provision of law requires such a filing fee."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.