(A) The authorities of a county may issue general obligation bonds of the county to defray the cost of any authorized purpose and for any amount not exceeding its applicable constitutional debt limit, if:

(1) the election required by this chapter as a condition precedent to the issuance of bonds is favorable; and

(2) the bonds are issued within five years following the holding of the election.

(B) Bonds issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter may be issued in either a single issue or from time to time as several separate issues.

(C) The five-year period required in (A)(2) of this section is tolled while litigation contesting the validity of the election is pending.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 14-513; 1952 Code Section 14-513; 1951 (47) 763; 1991 Act No. 83, Section 2, eff May 27, 1991.

Editor's Note

1991 Act No. 83, Sections 1 and 3, effective May 27, 1991, and applicable to all elections conducted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 15, Title 4 of the 1976 Code after January 1, 1985, provides as follows:

"SECTION 1. (A) Article X of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, which became effective on November 30, 1977, provides in Section 14(6)(c) that general obligation debt authorized as a result of a favorable referendum result of an election must be issued within five years of the date of that referendum. However, Section 4-15-30 of the 1976 Code provides that bonds authorized as a consequence of a favorable result of an election must be issued within three years following the election. In order to conform Section 4-15-30, with the provision of new Article X of the Constitution of South Carolina, it is necessary to provide that all bonds authorized as a result of the favorable election must be issued within five years following the date on which the election was held.

"(B) It has come to the attention of the General Assembly that litigation challenging an election may take several years to complete. It has further come to the attention of the General Assembly that during the pendency of this litigation, bonds authorized by the election may not be issued due to the existence of the litigation. In order to permit the five-year period contemplated by the Constitution during which bonds may be issued following an election, it may be necessary to provide that the five-year period is tolled while litigation contesting the validity of the election is pending."

"SECTION 3. The provisions of this act apply to all elections conducted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 15, Title 4 of the 1976 Code after January 1, 1985."

Effect of Amendment

The 1991 amendment designated the existing provisions of the section as subsection (A) and, in (A)(2) extended the time limit for the issuance of bonds from three to five years; and added subsections (B) and (C).