H 5175 General Bill, By Viers, Edge, Merrill, Barfield, Clemmons, Harrison, 
Altman, Bailey, Bingham, Branham, J. Brown, Cato, Ceips, Chellis, Emory, 
Hamilton, Harrell, Harvin, Hayes, Herbkersman, Howard, Huggins, Keegan, Leach, 
Lucas, Martin, McGee, Miller, Ott, Pinson, E.H. Pitts, M.A. Pitts, Sandifer, 
Scarborough, Simrill, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, W.D. Smith, Snow, Stewart, Stille, 
Taylor, Thompson, Toole, Townsend, Vaughn, Whitmire, Wilkins and Young
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 12-45-75, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY BY ORDINANCE TO
 ALLOW A PROPERTY TAXPAYER TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON REAL PROPERTY IN QUARTERLY
 INSTALLMENTS, SO AS TO DELETE THE REFERENCE TO "QUARTERLY" AND ALLOW THE
 ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT SCHEDULE OF INSTALLMENTS THE GOVERNING BODY OF
 THE COUNTY CONSIDERS APPROPRIATE.

   04/27/04  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-8
   04/27/04  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-8

TO AMEND SECTION 12-45-75, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY BY ORDINANCE TO ALLOW A PROPERTY TAXPAYER TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON REAL PROPERTY IN QUARTERLY INSTALLMENTS, SO AS TO DELETE THE REFERENCE TO "QUARTERLY" AND ALLOW THE ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT SCHEDULE OF INSTALLMENTS THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE COUNTY CONSIDERS APPROPRIATE.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 12-45-75(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A)    The governing body of a county may by ordinance allow a taxpayer to elect to pay all ad valorem taxes on real property located in the county in quarterly installments by means of installment payments on a schedule during the property tax year determined appropriate by the governing body. No installment election is allowed for taxes paid through an escrow account.

The ordinance must specify the installment due dates and it may provide for installments due and payable before January fifteenth, but the final installment due date must be January fifteenth. The ordinance may provide for a service charge of not more than two dollars on installment payments. For purposes of payment and collection, these service charges are deemed property taxes. The ordinance may not provide penalties for late installments."

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