H*3127(Rat #0331, Act #0535 of 1982)  General Bill, By Branton
 A Bill to provide that the members of the Board of Trustees of Summerville
 School District No. 2 of Dorchester County shall be elected rather than
 appointed and to provide for the manner in which such trustees shall be
 elected.

   07/15/81  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference HJ-3918
   07/16/81  House  Read second time HJ-3951
   07/17/81  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-3986
   07/24/81  Senate  Intd. & placed on loc. & uncontested cal. w/o
                     reference SJ-101
   02/24/82  Senate Read second time SJ-9
   02/24/82  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of amendments SJ-9
   03/02/82  Senate Read third time and enrolled SJ-6
   03/04/82  House  Ratified R 331 HJ-1268
   03/05/82         Signed By Governor
   03/05/82         Effective date 03/05/82
   03/05/82         Act No. 535
   03/15/82         Copies available

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF SUMMERVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 OF DORCHESTER COUNTY SHALL BE ELECTED RATHER THAN APPOINTED AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH SUCH TRUSTEES SHALL BE ELECTED.

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

Referendum--trustees elected

Section 1. By a favorable advisory referendum which was conducted at the time of the general election in 1980, the registered electors of Summerville School District No. 2 of Dorchester County voted to have their school trustees elected instead of appointed. It is the purpose of this act to implement the wishes of those electors.

Trustees--election procedure

Section 2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on January 1, 1983, the Dorchester County Board of Education shall no longer appoint the trustees of Summerville School District No. 2 (a constituent school district) and such trustees shall be elected in the manner hereinafter provided.

(b) Beginning January 1, 1983, the board of trustees of Summerville School District No. 2 shall consist of seven members who shall be residents of the district they represent and who shall be elected at large by the qualified electors of that district. Members of the board shall be elected in a nonpartisan election conducted by the county election commission at the time of the 1982 general election. The seven candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be deemed elected. The four elected members of the board receiving the highest vote shall serve terms of four years and the three elected members receiving the next highest vote shall serve initial terms of two years each. Thereafter, their successors shall be elected in nonpartisan elections held at the time of the general election every two years, as terms expire, for terms of four years but in no case shall any trustee serve more than two successive four-year terms. All members of the board shall serve until their successors are elected and qualify. Vacancies on the board shall be filled by appointment of the county legislative delegation until the next general election at which time a successor shall be elected in the same manner provided herein for the unexpired term or for a full term as the case may be. Any person who wishes to become a candidate for election to the board shall file a petition bearing the signatures of three percent of the qualified electors of the district with the county election commission at least sixty days before the election and the commission shall examine the petition and determine its validity not later than thirty days prior to the election. When validated the commission shall place the name of the candidate on the ballot without regard to party affiliation.

A separate, nonpartisan ballot shall be used for the election of the board. It shall comply substantially with the provisions of Article 3 of Chapter 13 of Title 7 of the 1976 Code, mutatis mutandi. The expenses of the election shall be borne by the county.

(c) The board shall hold at least one regular meeting each month and such other meetings as may be necessary upon the call of the chairman or a majority of the board members. All regular meetings shall be open to the public. The board shall elect annually from its membership a chairman and a vice-chairman and shall appoint a secretary who shall keep minutes of all meetings and file such minutes in permanent record. The members of the board shall receive per diem and mileage as provided by law for state boards, commissions and committees.

(d) The elected members of the board of trustees shall take office on the first day of January immediately following their election. The members of the board of trustees of each school district serving in office on the effective date of this act shall continue to serve until January 1, 1983, at which time their successors elected in the manner prescribed herein shall take office.

Time effective

Section 3. This act shall take effect upon the approval by the Governor.