South Carolina General Assembly
116th Session, 2005-2006

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Bill 117

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Indicates New Matter


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

COMMITTEE REPORT

March 10, 2005

S. 117

Introduced by Senators Ritchie, Fair and Richardson

S. Printed 3/10/05--S.

Read the first time January 11, 2005.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 117) to amend Section 59-150-350, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to administration of the Education Lottery Account, so as to provide for a, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, Page 2, by striking lines 1 through 4 and inserting:

/        latest complete fiscal year. 'Excess' means the funds remaining at the end of each fiscal year, over and above the full funding of all appropriations that are not contingent and are based on certified lottery proceeds in the general appropriation bill and any supplemental appropriation bill, except that excess does not include unclaimed prize money. These excess monies must be                     /

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

HUGH K. LEATHERMAN, SR. for Committee.

            

STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT

REVENUE IMPACT 1/

This bill has no impact on the estimate of $265 million in lottery revenues and the $6 million in investment earnings for the South Carolina Education Lottery Account in FY05-06.

Explanation

This bill deals with allocating excess net lottery proceeds and investment earnings from the South Carolina Education Lottery Account. The bill establishes a Scholarship Reserve Account. The South Carolina Education Lottery excess net lottery proceeds and investment earnings will provide the funding, in an amount not to exceed three percent of the Education Lottery Account for the latest complete fiscal year. Any reduction to the Lottery Reserve Account must be restored from the Education Lottery Account. On November 10, 2004, the BEA estimated the state lottery to generate $265 million for the Education Lottery Account and accepted the Treasurer's Office estimate on interest earnings of $6 million for FY05-06. Upon passage of this bill, the state lottery can still expect to generate $265 million in lottery revenue and $6 million in interest earnings. Therefore, this bill would have no impact on estimated lottery revenue or interest earnings for FY05-06.

Approved By:

William C. Gillespie

Board of Economic Advisors

1/ This statement meets the requirement of Section 2-7-71 for a state revenue impact by the BEA, or Section 2-7-76 for a local revenue impact or Section 6-1-85(B) for an estimate of the shift in local property tax incidence by the Office of Economic Research.

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 59-150-350, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ADMINISTRATION OF THE EDUCATION LOTTERY ACCOUNT, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A SCHOLARSHIP RESERVE ACCOUNT, FUNDED BY EXCESS LOTTERY PROCEEDS AND INVESTMENT EARNINGS, FOR THE EXCLUSIVE PURPOSE OF MAINTAINING FUNDING OF CERTAIN SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, AND ASSISTANCES IF CERTIFIED NET LOTTERY PROCEEDS AND INVESTMENT EARNINGS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO FUND THEM, TO DEFINE "EXCESS", AND TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF THE RESERVE TO THREE PERCENT OF THE EDUCATION LOTTERY ACCOUNT REVENUE FOR THE LATEST COMPLETED FISCAL YEAR.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 59-150-350 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a subsection at the end to read:

"( )(1)    There is created a Scholarship Reserve Account, separate and distinct from the general fund, for the exclusive purpose of maintaining funding of the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, and HOPE scholarships, need-based and tuition grants and grants to teachers for advanced education, and National Guard and tuition assistance for two-year institutions if certified net lottery proceeds and investment earnings fall below a level sufficient to fund these scholarships.

(2)    The account must be funded by all excess net lottery proceeds and investment earnings, in an amount not to exceed three percent of the Education Lottery Account revenue for the latest complete fiscal year. 'Excess' means the funds remaining at the end of each fiscal year, over and above the full funding of annual allocations in the general appropriation bill and any supplemental appropriation bill. These excess monies must be transferred to the State Treasurer for deposit in the separate and distinct Scholarship Reserve Account. Expenditure of the funds in the account must be allocated among the scholarships, grants, and assistances based on the respective need in the current fiscal year.

(3)    Any reduction to the Lottery Reserve Account must be restored by appropriation from the Education Lottery Account to ensure that the three percent maximum required in item (2) is reached and maintained within a three-year period.

(4)    This subsection does not prohibit the appropriation by the General Assembly, in a particular fiscal year, of monies from the State's general fund to ensure full funding in that year of all Palmetto Fellows and LIFE scholarships, nor does it prohibit the allocation by the General Assembly, in a particular fiscal year, of monies from the Lottery Expenditure Account to the Scholarship Reserve Account, but not to exceed the three percent limit."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect July 1, 2005.

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