H 4025 General Bill, By Scott, J. Brown, J.L.M. Cromer, Quinn and T.F. Rogers
 A Bill to amend Act 280 of 1979, relating to tax levies for Lexington and
 Richland County schools, so as to provide for a referendum to determine
 whether Richland County School District 2 may have fiscal autonomy and to
 provide that if a majority of the electors favor fiscal autonomy then
 beginning July 1, 1992, a school tax levy for general operating purposes for
 Richland County School District 2 must be determined by the board of trustees
 of the school district, provide that the levy may not be increased more than
 five percent of the local tax millage for operating purposes from the previous
 fiscal year unless the increase is approved by a referendum, and authorize the
 board to establish the millage level for the 1992-93 school year at a rate not
 to exceed the millage level for the 1991-92 school year.

   05/27/91  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-11
   05/27/91  House  Referred to delegation from Richland HJ-11

A BILL

TO AMEND ACT 280 OF 1979, RELATING TO TAX LEVIES FOR LEXINGTON AND RICHLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A REFERENDUM TO DETERMINE WHETHER RICHLAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 2 MAY HAVE FISCAL AUTONOMY AND TO PROVIDE THAT IF A MAJORITY OF THE ELECTORS FAVOR FISCAL AUTONOMY THEN BEGINNING JULY 1, 1992, A SCHOOL TAX LEVY FOR GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES FOR RICHLAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 2 MUST BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, PROVIDE THAT THE LEVY MAY NOT BE INCREASED MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE LOCAL TAX MILLAGE FOR OPERATING PURPOSES FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR UNLESS THE INCREASE IS APPROVED BY A REFERENDUM, AND AUTHORIZE THE BOARD TO ESTABLISH THE MILLAGE LEVEL FOR THE 1992-93 SCHOOL YEAR AT A RATE NOT TO EXCEED THE MILLAGE LEVEL FOR THE 1991-92 SCHOOL YEAR.

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

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Act 280 of 1979 is amended to read:

"Section 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no uniform countywide tax levy for school purposes for Richland County shall be levied after the tax year 1978. Instead, the school tax levy for Richland-Lexington School District 5 shall be determined by the board of trustees thereof and the school tax levy for Richland County School Districts 1 and 2 shall be determined by the Richland County Council based on the requirements of the South Carolina Education Finance Act of 1977 and based on any other additional funding deemed necessary by the board or county council. Before any action is taken on fiscal autonomy for Richland County School District 2, a referendum must be conducted. The referendum may be initiated by a petition signed by ten percent of the qualified electors of the school district. In this referendum, the electors of the school district must be asked whether or not they favor the school district determining the tax levy for general operating purposes. If a majority of the qualified electors favor fiscal autonomy for Richland County School District 2 then, effective with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1992, and thereafter the school tax levy for general operating purposes for Richland County School District 2 must be determined by the board of trustees of the district, provided that the tax levy for general operating purposes may not be increased more than five percent of the local tax millage for operating purposes from the previous fiscal year unless the increase is approved by a referendum, at the district's expense, of the qualified electors of the district. The board may establish the millage level for the 1992-93 school year at a rate not to exceed the millage level for the current school year."

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