(A) Pursuant to the provisions of Section 13(6)(c), Article X of the Constitution of this State, 1895, as amended, and by enactment of this chapter, the General Assembly provides that general obligation debt may be issued pursuant to this chapter only at such times as the maximum annual debt service on all general obligation bonds of the State, including economic development bonds and bonds issued pursuant to this chapter, outstanding and being issued, but excluding highway bonds, state institution bonds, tax anticipation notes, and bond anticipation notes, will not exceed six percent of the general revenues of the State for the fiscal year next preceding, excluding revenues that are authorized to be pledged for state highway bonds and state institution bonds. The State may not issue general obligation bonds, excluding economic development bonds and bonds authorized pursuant to this chapter, highway bonds, state institution bonds, tax anticipation notes, and bond anticipation notes, if at the time of issuance the maximum annual debt service on these general obligation bonds, outstanding and being issued, exceeds five percent of the general revenues of the State for the fiscal year next preceding, excluding revenues that are authorized to be pledged for state highway bonds and state institution bonds.

(B) At the time of issuance of general obligation debt pursuant to this chapter, the maximum annual debt service on such general obligation debt outstanding or being issued must not exceed one-half of one percent of the general revenues of this State for the fiscal year next preceding, excluding revenues which are authorized to be pledged for state highway bonds and state institution bonds.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 11-51-50

  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • General obligation debt: means any indebtedness of the State which must be secured in whole or in part by a pledge of the full faith, credit and taxing power of the State, including, but not limited to, bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness, and issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. See South Carolina Code 11-51-30
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.

(C) With respect to the first eight hundred fifty million dollars in principal amount of general obligation bonds issued after the effective date of this chapter within the debt service constraints set forth in subsections (A) and (B) of this section, the General Assembly provides additional constitutional authorization for such bonds pursuant to Section 13(5), Article X of the Constitution of this State, 1895.