Amended
March 27, 2024
H. 4294
S. Printed 03/27/24--H.
Read the first time April 06, 2023
________
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING
SECTION 6-1-320, RELATING TO THE LIMITATION ON MILLAGE INCREASES, SO AS TO
ALLOW THE GOVERNING BODY OF A rural 
COUNTY
TO SUSPEND THE LIMITATION FOR THE
PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING A FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
Amend Title To Conform
Whereas, the millage
cap set forth in Section 6-1-320 hinders the ability of rural county fire
districts to adequately provide services within the county; and
Whereas, to account for
the shortfall and provide essential fire services, counties are forced to
establish fees to support the service that disparately affects the citizens of
the county; and
Whereas, allowing a
rural county to exceed the millage limitation to support fire services would
enable the county to cease imposing such fees. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 6-1-320(B) of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:
(8) for a county council to support a
fire protection district in a rural county that was created pursuant to Chapter
19, Title 4, or Chapter 11, Title 6. However, the two-thirds vote of the
membership must occur no later than one year of the effective date of this item.
A county council only may utilize the provisions of this item once and use of
this provision may not result in a greater than a two percent increase in the
county's overall fire budget for the previous tax year. Any increased revenue
resulting from the suspension of the millage limitation first must be used on a
dollar-for-dollar basis to reduce fees or other similar charges that support
fire protection. Once all such fees are eliminated, additional revenue must be
used to support the fire protection district. For purposes of this subsection,
a "rural county" is any county with a population of seventy thousand or less as
of the 2020 decennial census that does not have a full-time fire department
that is fully supported by the local applicable fire millage.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
----XX----
Staff Portal
