S 0351 General Bill, By Verdin
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 12-10-85, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO THE PURPOSE AND USES OF THE STATE RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUND,
 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT COUNTIES DESIGNATED AS "LEAST DEVELOPED" OR
 "UNDERDEVELOPED" FOR 2001 ARE CONSIDERED "DISTRESSED" COUNTIES FOR THE YEARS
 2002 AND 2003 FOR PURPOSES OF ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE STATE RURAL
 INFRASTRUCTURE FUND.

   02/12/03  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-5
   02/12/03  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance SJ-5

TO AMEND SECTION 12-10-85, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PURPOSE AND USES OF THE STATE RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUND, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT COUNTIES DESIGNATED AS "LEAST DEVELOPED" OR "UNDERDEVELOPED" FOR 2001 ARE CONSIDERED "DISTRESSED" COUNTIES FOR THE YEARS 2002 AND 2003 FOR PURPOSES OF ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE STATE RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUND.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 12-10-85(B) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 332 of 2002, is further amended to read:

"(B)(1)    Rural Infrastructure Fund grants must be available to benefit counties designated as 'distressed' or 'least developed' as defined in Section 12-6-3360 according to guidelines established by the council, except that up to twenty-five percent of the funds annually available in excess of ten million dollars must be set aside for grants to areas of 'underdeveloped', 'moderately developed', and 'developed' counties. A governing body of an 'underdeveloped', 'moderately developed', and 'developed' county must apply to the council for these set-aside grants stating the reasons that certain areas of the county qualify for these grants because the conditions in that area of the county are comparable to those conditions qualifying a county as 'distressed' or 'least developed'.

(2)    Notwithstanding the provisions of item (1) of this subsection, counties designated as 'least developed' or 'underdeveloped' for 2001 are considered 'distressed' counties for the years 2002 and 2003 for purposes of eligibility for grant funds from the State Rural Infrastructure Fund."

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