South Carolina General Assembly
115th Session, 2003-2004

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Bill 678

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


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

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

INTRODUCED

May 1, 2003

S. 678

Introduced by Senator Richardson

L. Printed 5/1/03--S.

Read the first time May 1, 2003.

            

A BILL

TO AMEND ACT 596 OF 1969, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE HILTON HEAD NO. 1 PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ELECTION INSTEAD OF THE APPOINTMENT OF ITS COMMISSIONERS.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 3 of Act 596 of 1969, as last amended by Act 1357 of 1974, is further amended to read:

"Section 3.    (A)    Such The district shall must be operated, managed, and governed by a commission to be known as 'Hilton Head No. 1 Public Service District Commission'. The commission shall consist of five seven residents of the district who shall must be qualified electors of the district,. such commissioners to be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of a majority of the Legislative Delegation of Beaufort County, including the Senators of the district. The original appointments shall be for a term of one year for two appointees, for two years for the third and fourth appointees and for three years for the fifth appointee, and in all cases those persons holding office shall continue to hold office until their successors have been appointed and qualify. All of the terms shall begin as of the effective date of this act. Upon the termination of the term of office of any commissioner, a successor shall be appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendation of a majority of the Legislative Delegation of Beaufort County, including the Senators of the district, for terms of three years. Any vacancy occurring in the office of commissioner by reason of death, resignation or otherwise, shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by appointment by the Governor, upon the recommendation of a majority of the Legislative Delegation of Beaufort County, including the Senators of the district.

(B)    On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2003 the voters shall elect commissioners for all seats on the district's governing body. Candidates shall file a statement of intention of candidacy with the county board of elections and registration pursuant to Section 7-13-352 of the 1976 Code. The four defined election districts from which each member of Hilton Head No. 1 Public Service District Commission must reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district are as shown on the official map designated as 13-HH1PSD-03 prepared by and on file with the Office of Research and Statistical Services of the State Budget and Control Board. The Hilton Head No. 1 Public Service District is divided into four election districts as follows: District One from which one commissioner shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district; District Two from which one commissioner shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district; District Three from which two commissioners shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district; and District Four from which three commissioners shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district. Except for the initial election of commissioners as provided in this subsection, all commissioners must be elected from and reside in enumerated election districts for terms of four years with terms staggered so that a simple majority of the commissioners are elected in an odd-numbered year every four years, and the remaining commissioners are elected at the same time two years from the election of the first commissioners on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in an odd-numbered year. In order to stagger the terms at the initial election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2003, a commissioner elected from election District One and election District Two, receiving the highest number of votes, is elected for a term of four years and the other commissioner from the other district is elected for a term of two years. The commissioner receiving the highest number of votes in election District Three is elected for a term of four years and the commissioner receiving the next highest number of votes in that election district is elected for a term of two years. The two commissioners receiving the highest number of votes in election District Four are elected for terms of four years each and the commissioner receiving the third highest number of votes is elected for a term of two years. All commissioners elected for initial terms of two years must be elected for terms of four years each at the election conducted on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2005. After that election, all commissioners must be elected for terms of four years until their successors are elected and qualify. The terms of office of commissioners whose seats are subject to contest in the election expires fourteen days following the election.

(C)    The Beaufort County Board of Elections and Registration shall conduct and supervise the elections for commissioners in the manner governed by the election laws of this State, mutatis mutandis. Vacancies must be filled in the manner provided in Section 7-13-190 of the 1976 Code.

(D)    The commissioners shall receive an annual salary of three hundred dollars and the chairman shall receive five hundred dollars."

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

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