S 0700 Joint Resolution, By Leventis, Courtney, Giese, Lander, Leatherman, 
Mescher, Peeler, G. Smith, Thomas and Waldrep
 A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to Section 7(A), Article X of the
 Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the limitation on annual
 expenditures of state government, so as to provide that the General Assembly
 shall provide for an annual tax sufficient to defray estimated expenses for
 each year and to provide that if the ordinary expenses exceed the income of
 the State for such year, then the General Assembly shall provide for levying a
 tax in the ensuing year sufficient, with other sources of income, to pay the
 deficiency of the preceding year together with the estimated expenses of the
 ensuing year.

   04/05/95  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-7
   04/05/95  Senate Referred to Committee on Finance SJ-7

A JOINT RESOLUTION

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7(A), ARTICLE X OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE LIMITATION ON ANNUAL EXPENDITURES OF STATE GOVERNMENT, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL PROVIDE FOR AN ANNUAL TAX SUFFICIENT TO DEFRAY ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR EACH YEAR AND TO PROVIDE THAT IF THE ORDINARY EXPENSES EXCEED THE INCOME OF THE STATE FOR SUCH YEAR, THEN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL PROVIDE FOR LEVYING A TAX IN THE ENSUING YEAR SUFFICIENT, WITH OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME, TO PAY THE DEFICIENCY OF THE PRECEDING YEAR TOGETHER WITH THE ESTIMATED EXPENSES OF THE ENSUING YEAR.

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

SECTION 1. It is proposed that Section 7(a), Article X of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 7. (a) The General Assembly shall provide by law for a budget process to insure that annual expenditures of state government may not exceed annual state revenue for an annual tax sufficient to defray the estimated expenses of the State for each year. Whenever it shall happen that the ordinary expenses of the State for any year shall exceed the income of the State for such year, the General Assembly shall provide for levying a tax in the ensuing year sufficient, with other sources of income, to pay the deficiency of the preceding year together with the estimated expenses of the ensuing year."

SECTION 2. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballots:

"Must Article Section 7(a), Article X of the Constitution of this State, relating to the limitation on annual expenditures of state government, be amended to so as to provide that the General Assembly shall provide for an annual tax sufficient to defray the estimated expenses of the State for each year and to further provide that whenever it shall happen that the ordinary expenses of the State for any year shall exceed the income of the State for such year, the General Assembly shall provide for levying a tax in the ensuing year sufficient, with other sources of income, to pay the deficiency of the preceding year together with the estimated expenses of the ensuing year?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."