Title 4, Counties

The county board of commissioners shall be the governing body of the county. The board shall be charged with the administration of county affairs, including but not limited to: (a) The hearing of all budget requests and the submission of a proposed annual budget for the operation…

The board shall meet at least once each month at such times, dates and places as set by it at its first meeting following each general election. Special meetings may be called at any time by the chairman or by a majority of the commissioners; provided, that all members shall be n…

The board in each of the counties may elect a clerk who shall perform the duties of secretary and be paid an annual salary as provided by law and whose term of office shall be coterminous with that of the members of the board electing him.

The county commissioners shall keep an account of claims audited and allowed by them against the several funds appropriated for county purposes in accordance with a form to be prescribed by the Comptroller General, and they shall conform to any system of bookkeeping that may be p…

The members of the county board of commissioners may administer oaths to all persons appearing before them and punish by fine not exceeding ten dollars or imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding twenty hours any and all persons guilty of disorderly conduct amounting to an o…

No member of a board of county commissioners shall be directly or indirectly interested in any contract pertaining to his duty as commissioner.

The county commissioners shall each give bond in the sum of five thousand dollars.

The council shall select one of its members as chairman, except where the chairman is elected as a separate office, one as vice-chairman and such other officers as are deemed necessary for such terms as the council shall determine, unless otherwise provided for in the form of gov…

All appointments to boards, committees and commissions in those counties adopting the county board of commissioners form of government shall be made by the Governor upon approval of a majority of the members of the legislative delegation, including the Senator or Senators of the …

The provisions of Sections 6-11-410 to 6-11-650 shall not apply to counties operating under the county board of commissioners form of government.

The council shall take legislative action by ordinance which may be introduced by any member. With the exception of emergency ordinances, all ordinances shall be read at three public meetings of council on three separate days with an interval of not less than seven days between t…

The qualified electors of any county may propose any ordinance, except an ordinance appropriating money or authorizing the levy of taxes, and adopt or reject such ordinance at the polls. Any initiated ordinance may be submitted to the council by a petition signed by qualified ele…

Within sixty days after the enactment by the council of any ordinance authorizing the issuance of bonds, notes or other evidence of debt the repayment of which requires a pledge of the full faith and credit of the county, or requires the approval of the issuance of bonds by a pub…

If the council shall fail to pass an ordinance proposed by initiative petition or shall pass it in a form substantially different from that set forth in the petition therefor or if the council shall fail to repeal an ordinance for which a petition for repeal has been presented, t…

Public hearings, after reasonable public notice, must be held before final council action is taken to: (1) adopt annual operational and capital budgets; (2) make appropriations, including supplemental appropriations; (3) adopt building, housing, electrical, plumbing, gas and all …

The fiscal year of the county government shall begin on the first day of July of each year and shall end on the thirtieth day of June next following, and the fiscal year shall constitute the budget year of the county government. All county offices, departments, boards, commission…

(A) Except as provided in subsection (B), the governing body of a county may appoint and commission as many code enforcement officers as may be necessary for the proper security, general welfare, and convenience of the county. These officers are vested with all the powers and dut…

The council shall provide for an independent annual audit of all financial records and transactions of the county and any agency funded in whole by county funds and may provide for more frequent audits as it considers necessary. Special audits may be provided for any agency recei…

The council shall provide for a centralized purchasing system for procurement of goods and services required by the county government.

The council shall provide by ordinance for the appointment of all county boards, committees and commissions whose appointment is not provided for by the general law or the Constitution. Each council shall have such appointive powers with regard to existing boards and commissions …

The governing body of a county may pay per diem, travel, or any other expenses, in an amount it considers necessary, to any member of a county board or commission when the member travels outside of the county and incurs expenses relating to his duties while serving on the board.

Any county officer or employee who has a substantial financial interest in any business which contracts with the county for sale or lease of land, materials, supplies, equipment or services or who personally engages in such matters shall make known that interest and refrain from …

The sections of this article, except Sections 4-9-10 and 4-9-20 shall not apply to the board of commissioners form of government provided for in Article 11.

(A) The governing body of any county by ordinance may grant the special property tax assessments authorized by this section to real property which qualifies as either "rehabilitated historic property" or as "low and moderate income rental property" in the manner provided in this …

The alternate forms of government which may be adopted pursuant to Section 4-9-10 shall be one of the following: (a) Council form as set forth in Article 3; (b) Council-supervisor form as set forth in Article 5; (c) Council-administrator form as set forth in Article 7; (d) Counci…

All counties of the State, in addition to the powers conferred to their specific form of government, have authority to enact regulations, resolutions, and ordinances, not inconsistent with the Constitution and general law of this State, including the exercise of these powers in r…

Under each of the alternate forms of government listed in Section 4-9-20, except the board of commissioners form provided for in Article 11, each county government within the authority granted by the Constitution and subject to the general law of this State shall have the followi…

In those counties adopting the council form of government provided for in this article, the responsibility for policy making and administration of county government shall be vested in the county council which shall consist of not less than three nor more than twelve members who a…

A referendum must be held to approve the creation of a county police department prior to the implementation of an ordinance adopted by a county council which would duplicate or replace the law enforcement functions of a sheriff. As used in this section, the term law enforcement m…

(A) Each county council shall prior to July 1, 1979, by ordinance establish within the county a county public library system, which ordinance shall be consistent with the provisions of this section; provided, however, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the gover…

The board as provided for in Section 4-9-35 shall be authorized to exercise powers as to the policies of the county library which shall not be inconsistent with the general policies established by the governing body of the county, and pursuant to that authority shall be empowered…

In addition to the powers and duties prescribed in Section 4-9-36 the board shall: (a) Provide and make available to the residents of the county books and library materials and in the fulfillment of this function shall establish a headquarters library and may establish branches a…

All county public library systems established pursuant to Section 4-9-35 are deemed to be educational agencies and gifts and donations of funds or property to such systems shall be deductible by the donors for tax purposes as provided by law for gifts and donations for tax purpos…

County public library systems shall be funded by annual appropriations by the county council including millage, if any, levied specifically for the county public library system plus aid provided by the state and federal governments and other sources. If any county council levies …

Any county may perform any of its functions, furnish any of its services within the corporate limits of any municipality, situated within the county, by contract with any individual, corporation or municipal governing body, subject always to the general law and the Constitution o…

(A) Any county, incorporated municipality, special purpose district, or other political subdivision may provide for the joint administration of any function and exercise of powers as authorized by Section 13 of Article VIII of the South Carolina Constitution. (B) The provisions o…

The council in those counties adopting the council-supervisor form of government provided for in this article shall consist of not less than two nor more than twelve members who are qualified electors of the county. The supervisor shall serve as chairman and vote only to break ti…

The powers and duties of the supervisor shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) to serve as the chief administrative officer of the county government; (2) to execute the policies and legislative actions of the council; (3) to direct and coordinate operational age…

The council shall not remove any county administrative officers or employees whom the county supervisor or any of his subordinates are empowered to appoint, unless by two-thirds vote of the members present and voting. Except for the purposes of inquiries and official investigatio…

Except as specifically provided for in this article, the structure, organization, powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of county government under the council-supervisor form shall be as prescribed in Article 1 of this chapter.

For the purpose of maintaining proper policing, to provide proper sanitation and to abate nuisances, the police jurisdiction and authority of any county bordering on the high tide line of the Atlantic Ocean is extended to include all that area lying between the high tide line and…

Whenever the General Assembly shall provide by general law for the use of county personnel, facilities or equipment to implement such general law or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, the State agency or department responsible for administering such general law s…

(A) A county may not be bound by any general law requiring it to spend funds or to take an action requiring the expenditure of funds unless the General Assembly has determined that the law fulfills a state interest and the law requiring the expenditure is approved by two-thirds o…

Under the council, council-supervisor and council-administrator forms of government provided for in this chapter the county treasurer and the county auditor shall be elected. Officials serving unexpired terms when a form of government provided for in this chapter is adopted by a …

The council in those counties adopting the council-administrator form of government provided for in this article shall consist of not less than three nor more than twelve members who are qualified electors of the county. Council members shall be elected in the general election fo…

The council shall employ an administrator who shall be the administrative head of the county government and shall be responsible for the administration of all the departments of the county government which the council has the authority to control. He shall be employed with regard…