S 1124 Session 112 (1997-1998)
S 1124 General Bill, By Lander
Similar(H 4806)
A BILL TO PROVIDE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE NEWBERRY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
MUST BE ELECTED IN NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS FROM SINGLE-MEMBER ELECTION DISTRICTS
TO BE HELD AT THE SAME TIME AS THE GENERAL ELECTION, BEGINNING IN 1998, TO
REQUIRE THE COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION TO CONDUCT THE ELECTIONS, TO PROVIDE
FOR THE APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN NONPARTISAN ELECTION PROCEDURES, TO REQUIRE
BOARD MEMBER COMPENSATION TO BE INCLUDED AS A SPECIFIC SECTION IN THE BUDGET
AND TO REQUIRE TWO READINGS OF THE SECTION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR REGULAR
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD; AND TO REPEAL ACT 284 OF 1985 RELATING TO THE
COMPOSITION AND ELECTION OF THE NEWBERRY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
03/17/98 Senate Intd. & placed on local & uncontested cal. w/o
reference SJ-10
03/20/98 Senate Committed to Newberry County Delegation SJ-40
INTRODUCED
March 17, 1998
S. 1124
Introduced by Senator Lander
L. Printed 3/17/98--S.
Read the first time March 17, 1998.
A BILL
TO PROVIDE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE NEWBERRY
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MUST BE ELECTED IN
NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS FROM SINGLE-MEMBER
ELECTION DISTRICTS TO BE HELD AT THE SAME TIME AS
THE GENERAL ELECTION, BEGINNING IN 1998, TO REQUIRE
THE COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION TO CONDUCT THE
ELECTIONS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPLICABILITY OF
CERTAIN NONPARTISAN ELECTION PROCEDURES, TO
REQUIRE BOARD MEMBER COMPENSATION TO BE
INCLUDED AS A SPECIFIC SECTION IN THE BUDGET AND
TO REQUIRE TWO READINGS OF THE SECTION, AND TO
PROVIDE FOR REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE BOARD; AND
TO REPEAL ACT 284 OF 1985 RELATING TO THE
COMPOSITION AND ELECTION OF THE NEWBERRY
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South
Carolina:
SECTION 1. (A) The Newberry County Board of Education shall
consist of seven members elected in nonpartisan elections held at the
same time as the general election beginning in 1998. One member
must be elected from each of the seven single-member election
districts which are the same as the seven geographical districts from
which members of the Newberry County Council are elected and
have the same number designation. No person employed in the
public school system is eligible to serve as a member of the board.
(B) At the general election in 1998 members must be elected for
seats designated 2, 5, and 7, and in the year 2000 board members
must be elected for seats designated 1, 3, 4, and 6. Members take
office one week following certification of their election as provided
for in Section 59-19-315 of the 1976 Code. Members of the board
serve terms of four years and until their successors are elected and
qualify. If a vacancy occurs for any reason other than expiration of
a term, the board shall call a special election to fill the unexpired
term, so long as the vacancy does not occur within one hundred
eighty days of a general election. If a vacancy occurs within one
hundred eighty days of a general election, the vacancy must be filled
for the unexpired term through appointment by the county legislative
delegation, including the senator.
(C) Each member of the board must be elected by the qualified
electors of the single-member district from which he seeks election.
All persons desiring to qualify as a candidate shall file a petition with
the county election commission on forms furnished by the
commission and shall pay a filing fee of one hundred dollars to be
retained by the county election commission. This petition must be a
sworn statement stating the candidate's name, age, election district
in which he resides and from which he seeks election, voting
precinct, period of residence in the county and election district, and
other information as the county election commission requires. The
petition must bear the signatures of not less than two percent of the
qualified electors of the election district for which he offers as a
candidate. The county election commission shall examine the
petition and verify the signatures not less than thirty days before the
election. The filing period opens on the first day of August at noon
to run no later than September first at noon; however, if September
first falls on a Sunday, not later than twelve o'clock noon on the
following Monday.
(D) The county election commission shall conduct and supervise
the elections for members of the county board of education in the
manner governed by the election laws of this State, mutatis mutandis.
The county election commission shall prepare the necessary ballots,
appoint managers for the voting precincts, and do all things necessary
to carry out the elections, including the counting of ballots and
declaring the results. The commission shall publish notices of the
elections in the same manner provided in Section 7-13-35 of the 1976
Code. The results of the elections must be determined by the
nonpartisan plurality method as contained in Section 5-15-61 of the
1976 Code.
(E) The board shall meet at least once a month and at other times
as may be necessary to conduct the business of the board.
(F) Compensation and expenses for board members must be
included as a specific section in the budget. This section may only
become effective after receiving two public readings that must be at
least twenty-one days apart.
SECTION 2. All members of the Newberry County Board of
Education serving on this act's effective date shall continue to serve
until their successors are elected and qualify in accordance with this
act.
SECTION 3. Act 284 of 1985 is repealed.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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