A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 4-37-30, relating to Sales and use taxes or tolls as revenue for transportation facilities, so as to DEFINE THE TERM "MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM".

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

SECTION 1.Section 4-37-30(A)(1) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(1) The governing body of a county may vote to impose the tax authorized by this section, subject to a referendum, by enacting an ordinance. The ordinance must specify:

(a) the project or projects and a description of the project or projects for which the proceeds of the tax are to be used, which may include projects located within or without, or both within and without, the boundaries of the county imposing the tax and which may include:

(i) highways, roads, streets, bridges, mass transit systems, greenbelts, and other transportation-related projects facilities including, but not limited to, drainage facilities relating to the highways, roads, streets, bridges, and other transportation-related projects. As used in this sub-subitem, 'mass transit system' means any service, project, or accompanying infrastructure to establish, enhance, operate, plan, administer, maintain, replace, or improve access to public transit service that is regular, continuing shared-ride or shared-use surface transportation services that are made available by a public entity and are open to the general public or open to a segment of the general public;

(ii) jointly-operated jointly operated projects, of the type specified in sub-subitem (i), of the county and South Carolina Department of Transportation; or

(iii) projects, of the type specified in sub-subitem (i), operated by the county or jointly-operated jointly operated projects of the county and other governmental entities;

(b) the maximum time, stated in calendar years or calendar quarters, or a combination of them, not to exceed twenty-five years or the length of payment for each project whichever is shorter in length, for which the tax may be imposed;

(c) the estimated capital cost of the project or projects to be funded in whole or in part from proceeds of the tax and the principal amount of bonds to be supported by the tax; and

(d) the anticipated year the tax will end.

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

----XX----