S 0222 General Bill, By Wilson
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 4-9-1210, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF A COUNTY PROPOSING CERTAIN ORDINANCES BY
 PETITION, SO AS TO REVISE THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR THE PETITION
 AND TO AUTHORIZE THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF A COUNTY, SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT,
 FISCALLY AUTONOMOUS SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION RECEIVING
 PROPERTY TAX REVENUES TO PROPOSE AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION LIMITING THE TOTAL
 REVENUE WHICH THE ENTITY MAY EXPEND DURING A FISCAL YEAR.

   12/16/98  Senate Prefiled
   12/16/98  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/12/99  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-85
   01/12/99  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-85

TO AMEND SECTION 4-9-1210, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF A COUNTY PROPOSING CERTAIN ORDINANCES BY PETITION, SO AS TO REVISE THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR THE PETITION AND TO AUTHORIZE THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF A COUNTY, SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT, FISCALLY AUTONOMOUS SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION RECEIVING PROPERTY TAX REVENUES TO PROPOSE AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION LIMITING THE TOTAL REVENUE WHICH THE ENTITY MAY EXPEND DURING A FISCAL YEAR.

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

SECTION 1. Section 4-9-1210 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 4-9-1210. (A) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (B), the qualified electors of any a county may propose any an ordinance, except an ordinance appropriating money or authorizing the levy of taxes, and adopt or reject such the ordinance at the polls. Any An initiated ordinance may be submitted to the council by a petition signed by qualified electors of the county equal in number to at least fifteen five percent of the qualified electors of the county.

(B)(1) The qualified electors of a county may propose an ordinance limiting the total revenue which the county may expend during a fiscal year. Fiscal year revenue means all revenue received by the county except for federal funds and state funds. Revenue limits do not apply to a county enterprise that receives less than twenty-five percent of its revenue from property taxes. An initiated ordinance may be submitted to the county council by petition signed by qualified electors of the county equal in number to at least five percent of the qualified electors of the county. The revenue limits may be exceeded for the issuance or repayment of bonds which do not exceed the applicable constitutional debt limitation.

(2) The qualified electors of a special purpose or public service district, fiscally autonomous school district, or other political subdivision receiving revenue from property taxes may propose an ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, limiting spending pursuant to the process provided in this section, with the same limitations, mutatis mutandis. The ordinance or resolution must be considered or adopted, or both, in the same manner an ordinance initiated by petition is considered and adopted as provided in this article."

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