S 1095 General Bill, By Cleary
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 6-1-320, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO MILLAGE RATE INCREASE LIMITATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE
 THAT A COUNTY GOVERNING BODY MAY BY ORDINANCE SUBJECT TO REFERENDUM APPROVAL
 IMPOSE UP TO A SIX-TENTHS MILLAGE INCREASE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

   03/11/14  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 5)
   03/11/14  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance
                     (Senate Journal-page 5)

TO AMEND SECTION 6-1-320, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO MILLAGE RATE INCREASE LIMITATIONS AND EXCEPTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A COUNTY GOVERNING BODY MAY BY ORDINANCE SUBJECT TO REFERENDUM APPROVAL IMPOSE UP TO A SIX-TENTHS MILLAGE INCREASE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 6-1-320 is amended by adding subsection (G) at the end to read:

"(G)(1)    Notwithstanding Section 12-37-251(E) or any provision contained in this article, a county governing body may adopt an ordinance imposing up to a six-tenths millage increase for mental health services in the county subject to a referendum approving the increase. Following passage of the referendum, the county auditor must annually calculate and levy and the county treasurer must collect, in the same way that county taxes are levied and collected, the increased millage on all taxable property in the county. The amounts collected from the increased millage:

(a)    must be segregated and deposited into a mental health services fund separate and distinct from the county general fund and all other county funds;

(b)    must be dedicated only to expenditures for mental health services in the county; and

(c)    must not be used to supplant existing funds for mental health programs in the county.

(2)    This increased millage may be removed from levy and collection only upon a two thirds vote of the local governing body to remove the increased millage."

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