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Bill 20

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      20
Type of Legislation:              Joint Resolution JR
Introducing Body:                 Senate
Introduced Date:                  19990112
Primary Sponsor:                  Leventis
All Sponsors:                     Leventis, Elliott, Reese
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\dka\3057mm99.doc
Residing Body:                    Senate
Current Committee:                Finance Committee 06 SF
Subject:                          Property tax assessment, separate millage 
                                  levy on personal property including motor 
                                  vehicle, Taxation, exemptions


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
Senate  19990112  Introduced, read first time,           06 SF
                  referred to Committee
Senate  19981118  Prefiled, referred to Committee        06 SF


                             Versions of This Bill

PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE X OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO FINANCE AND TAXATION BY ADDING SECTION 1A AND AMENDING EXISTING SECTION 6, SO AS TO REQUIRE ALL PERSONAL PROPERTY TO BE THE SUBJECT OF A SEPARATE MILLAGE LEVY WHICH MAY NOT EXCEED THE 2000 PROPERTY TAX YEAR LEVY ON SUCH PROPERTY, INCLUDING MILLAGE LEVIED FOR BONDED INDEBTEDNESS, TO PROVIDE THE PROPERTY TAX YEAR WHEN THIS SEPARATE LEVY FIRST APPLIES, TO REQUIRE THE 2000 MILLAGE RATE TO BE ADJUSTED ANNUALLY SO THAT REVENUE RAISED BY THE TAX ON PERSONAL PROPERTY DOES NOT EXCEED THE REVENUE RAISED BY THE 2000 MILLAGE RATE, AND TO MAKE A CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

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

SECTION 1. (1) It is proposed that Article X of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding:

"Section 1A. For motor vehicle property tax years beginning after June, 2001, and all other personal property tax years beginning after 2000, all personal property included in the classifications established pursuant to Section 1 of this article must be the subject of a separate millage rate imposition uniformly applied to personal property and this millage rate may not exceed the millage rate imposed for such property for any property tax year beginning in 2000, including amounts levied for that year for bonded indebtedness and this millage rate must be annually adjusted, if necessary, so that the revenue raised by the tax on personal property does not exceed the revenue raised by the 2000 millage rate."

(2) It is proposed that the first paragraph of Article X, Section 6 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"The General Assembly may vest the power of assessing and collecting taxes in all of the political subdivisions of the State. Property tax levies shall be uniform in respect to persons and property within the jurisdiction of the body imposing such taxes; except as otherwise provided in this article; and provided, that on properties located in an area receiving special benefits from the taxes collected, special levies may be permitted by general law applicable to the same type of political subdivision throughout the State, and the General Assembly shall specify the precise condition under which such special levies shall be assessed."

SECTION 2. The proposed amendments 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 ballot:

"Must Article X of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding Section 1A and existing Section 6 so be amended as to provide that property taxes imposed on motor vehicles for motor vehicle property tax years beginning after June, 2001, and on all other personal property for property tax years beginning after 2000, must be separately imposed at a uniform rate on all personal property at a rate that may not exceed the millage rate imposed on such property for any property tax year beginning in 2000 with annual adjustments in the millage rate if necessary so that the revenue raised by the tax on personal property does not exceed the revenue raised by the 2000 millage rate?

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'."

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