A bill

 

to create THE north charleston school district and to abolish constituent school district no. 4 of the charleston county school district; to establish a seven member board of trustees to govern the north charleston county school district; and to transfer the assets and liabIliities from constituent district no. 4 to the north charleston school district.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  (A) As of January 1, 2024, constituent School District No. 4 of the Charleston County School District, known as North Charleston School District, is created as an independent and autonomous school district, separate from the Charleston County School District.

    (B) North Charleston School District consists of attendance zones within North Charleston including, but not limited to, constituent School District No. 4.

    (C) Constituent School District No. 4 of the Charleston County School District is abolished.

 

SECTION 2.  (A) The governing body of the North Charleston School District shall be a board of trustees which shall be composed of seven members. Board members must be residents of constituent School District No. 4 of the Charleston County School District, qualified electors, and elected at large in a partisan election held at the time of the general election beginning in 2024.

    (B) Members shall serve terms of four years and until their successors are elected and qualify.

    (C) The board shall establish annual compensation for its members, not to exceed three thousand dollars, and members must be reimbursed for mileage, per diem, and subsistence pursuant to law for members of state boards, committees, and commissions.

 

SECTION 3.  On July 1, 2024, the assets and liabilities of former constituent School District No. 4 must be transferred to the North Charleston School District. The records and employees of former constituent School District No. 4 must be transferred to, and if applicable, assumed by the North Charleston School District.

 

SECTION 4.  All provisions of local acts concerning constituent School District No. 4 of the Charleston County School District inconsistent with the provisions of this act are repealed; it being the intent of the General Assembly to establish the North Charleston School District as an independent and autonomous school district, separate from the Charleston County School District.

 

SECTION 5.  If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the General Assembly hereby declaring that it would have passed this act, and each and every section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, and word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or words hereof may be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid, or otherwise ineffective.

 

SECTION 6.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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