H*2776(Rat #0195, Act #0241 of 1983)  General Bill, By V.L. Crocker
 A Bill to amend Act 171 of 1967, as amended, relating to the School Districts
 of Laurens County, so as to provide for separate budgets for the Districts and
 annual uniform millage for operating purposes and to provide for distribution
 of tax revenues and forestry funds, to establish the millage for the tax year
 1983-1984 and to define the boundaries of Laurens County School District
 Numbers 55 and 56.-amended title

   03/30/83  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference HJ-1752
   03/31/83  House  Debate adjourned HJ-1796
   04/05/83  House  Debate adjourned HJ-1859
   04/06/83  House  Debate adjourned HJ-1900
   04/07/83  House  Debate adjourned until Tuesday, April 19, 1983 HJ-195
   04/19/83  House  Debate adjourned until Thursday, May 12, 1983 HJ-2286
   05/12/83  House  Debate adjourned until Thursday, May 19, 1983 HJ-2815
   05/19/83  House  Debate adjourned HJ-2966
   05/19/83  House  Reconsidered HJ-2978
   05/19/83  House  Read second time HJ-2979
   05/20/83  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-2987
   05/24/83  Senate  Intd. & placed on loc. & uncontested cal. w/o
                     referenc SJ-1437
   05/25/83  Senate Read second time SJ-1471
   05/25/83  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-1471
   06/01/83  Senate Amended SJ-1705
   06/01/83  Senate  Read third time SJ-1706
   06/01/83  Senate Returned SJ-1706
   06/02/83  House  Senate amendment amended HJ-3448
   06/02/83  House  Returned HJ-3450
   06/07/83  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-1908
   06/08/83         Ratified R 195
   06/09/83         Signed By Governor
   06/09/83         Effective date 06/09/83
   06/09/83         Act No. 241
   06/21/83         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 171 OF 1967, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF LAURENS COUNTY, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR SEPARATE BUDGETS FOR THE DISTRICTS AND ANNUAL UNIFORM MILLAGE FOR OPERATING PURPOSES AND TO PROVIDE FOR DISTRIBUTION OF TAX REVENUES AND FORESTRY FUNDS, TO ESTABLISH THE MILLAGE FOR THE TAX YEAR 1983-1984 AND TO DEFINE THE BOUNDARIES OF LAURENS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBERS 55 AND 56.

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

Purpose

SECTION 1. The purpose of this act is to provide equity in Laurens County concerning property taxes paid for school operating purposes and equity regarding the funds available per pupil for education in Laurens County School Districts Fifty-five and Fifty-six.

Board to prepare budget

SECTION 2. Section 1 of Act 171 of 1967, as last amended by Act 789 of 1978, is further amended to read:

"Section 1. On or before the fifteenth day of April 1967, and on or before the first day of July for each succeeding year thereafter, the board of trustees of School Districts Fifty-five and Fifty-six in Laurens County shall annually prepare operating budgets and recommend to the county auditor the amount of tax levy necessary to defray the cost of the budgets. The board of trustees of each school district in preparing the budgets may grant to teachers fringe benefits, in lieu of salaries, in forms as it may determine. Budgets shall further be submitted to the county board of education for its review. Certified copies of the budgets signed by a majority of the board of trustees of the districts shall be filed with the auditor and treasurer. Copies of the budget shall also be furnished to the county legislative delegation and a summary of the budgets published in a newspaper having general circulation within the district. Beginning with tax year 1983-1984 and for each tax year thereafter, an annual uniform millage for operating purposes must be levied on all taxable property in School Districts Fifty-five and Fifty-six of Laurens County. Monies derived from the levy must first be distributed to each school district to provide the amount necessary under Act 163 of 1977 (South Carolina Education Finance Act of 1977) for required local support. Any monies not paid for required local support must be distributed to the school districts according to the current year's one hundred thirty-five day EFA weighted pupil units. All forestry funds in lieu of taxes shall be retained by Laurens County School District Fifty-six for two years following the effective date of this Act. Thereafter, School District Fifty-five and School District Fifty-six of Laurens County shall share the forestry funds according to the current year's one hundred thirty-five day EFA weighted pupil units. The sharing of all forestry funds shall be phased in over a three year period, with one-third of all forestry funds to be shared the first year and an additional one-third to be shared each subsequent year until all such funds are available for distribution to both districts. Subsequent to June 30, 1968, the boards of trustees of School Districts Fifty-five and Fifty-six may recommend a tax levy increase of up to three mills in any two year period. A tax increase of more than three mills in any two year period must be approved at a referendum by the people of both school districts prior to its levy. The referendum shall be ordered by the board of trustees and held at places as the boards may designate in each attendance area of the school districts. Notice must be given by publication in all of the newspapers in the county at least once a week for three consecutive weeks prior to the referendum. The notice must give the date of the referendum, the question to be voted upon, and any other information which would aid the voters to understand the question being presented. The boards shall order the referendum to be held not later than the fourth Tuesday in May. If the recommended levy is within the limits provided, the county auditor shall levy and the treasurer collect the amount specified."

Millage

SECTION 3. For the tax year 1983-1984 only, the uniform millage for operating purposes to be levied on all taxable property in School Districts Fifty-five and Fifty-six of Laurens County, pursuant to Section 1 of Act 171 of 1967, is seventy-two mills.

Boundary lines

SECTION 4. Notwithstanding any provision of law, precedent or policy, the boundary lines of the combined Laurens County School District Fifty-five and Laurens County School District Fifty-six are as follows:

"Commencing at a point in the center of Saluda River on the Laurens County-Abbeville County line one-half mile below the bridge on State Road 48, thence a straight line to U. S. Highway 25, 1 mile north of its junction with State Road 347, thence a straight line northeasterly to the junction of Reedy River and Horse Creek, thence down the Reedy River to a point .65 miles east of State Road 315, thence a straight line to Road 29, crossing State Road 315, 1.25 miles from its junction with State Road 29, thence due west to the Saluda River thence down the Saluda River along the Laurens County-Greenwood County line to the Newberry County line, thence easterly along the Newberry County line to the Enoree River, thence up the Enoree River along the Laurens County-Union County line and the Laurens County-Spartanburg County line to State Route 418 at Van Patton Bridge, thence westerly along State Road 418 to its junction with the Gray Road, thence westerly around the south side of the Liberty Church property to Liberty Church Road, thence westerly along Liberty Church Road to Little Durbin Creek, thence down Little Durbin Creek to a point one-half mile south of King White Road, thence due south to State Road 67 and its junction with Earle Hughes Road, thence along Earle Hughes Road to South Durbin Creek, thence up South Durbin Creek to a point one-fourth mile above State Road 95, thence a straight line southwesterly to U.S. Highway 276 due east of the Calvin Owings Home, thence northerly along said highway to the Greenville County-Laurens County line, thence southwesterly along the Greenville County line to Abbeville County line at the Saluda River, thence along the Abbeville County line to the point of beginning."

Time effective

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.