2013 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 6 - Local Government - Provisions Applicable to Special Purpose Districts and Other Political Subdivisions
CHAPTER 4 - ALLOCATION OF ACCOMMODATIONS TAX REVENUES
SECTION 6-4-10. Allocation to general fund; special fund for tourism; management and use of special fund.

The funds received by a municipality or a county in county areas collecting more than fifty thousand dollars from the local accommodations tax provided in Section 12-36-2630(3) must be allocated in the following manner:

(1) The first twenty-five thousand dollars must be allocated to the general fund of the municipality or county and is exempt from all other requirements of this chapter.

(2) Five percent of the balance must be allocated to the general fund of the municipality or county and is exempt from all other requirements of this chapter.

(3) Thirty percent of the balance must be allocated to a special fund and used only for advertising and promotion of tourism to develop and increase tourist attendance through the generation of publicity. To manage and direct the expenditure of these tourism promotion funds, the municipality or county shall select one or more organizations, such as a chamber of commerce, visitor and convention bureau, or regional tourism commission, which has an existing, ongoing tourist promotion program. If no organization exists, the municipality or county shall create an organization with the same membership standard in Section 6-4-25. To be eligible for selection the organization must be organized as a nonprofit organization and shall demonstrate to the municipality or county that it has an existing, ongoing tourism promotion program or that it can develop an effective tourism promotion program. Immediately upon an allocation to the special fund, a municipality or county shall distribute the tourism promotion funds to the organizations selected or created to receive them. Before the beginning of each fiscal year, an organization receiving funds from the accommodations tax from a municipality or county shall submit for approval a budget of planned expenditures. At the end of each fiscal year, an organization receiving funds shall render an accounting of the expenditure to the municipality or county which distributed them. Fees allocated pursuant to this subsection must not be used to pledge as security for bonds and to retire bonds. Also, fees allocated pursuant to this subsection must be allocated to a special fund and used only for advertising and promotion of tourism to develop and increase tourist attendance through the generation of publicity, and not used to pledge as security for bonds and to retire bonds.

(4)(a) The remaining balance plus earned interest received by a municipality or county must be allocated to a special fund and used for tourism-related expenditures. This section does not prohibit a municipality or county from using accommodations tax general fund revenues for tourism-related expenditures.

(b) The funds received by a county or municipality which has a high concentration of tourism activity may be used to provide additional county and municipal services including, but not limited to, law enforcement, traffic control, public facilities, and highway and street maintenance, as well as the continual promotion of tourism. The funds must not be used as an additional source of revenue to provide services normally provided by the county or municipality but to promote tourism and enlarge its economic benefits through advertising, promotion, and providing those facilities and services which enhance the ability of the county or municipality to attract and provide for tourists.

"Tourism-related expenditures" include:

1. advertising and promotion of tourism so as to develop and increase tourist attendance through the generation of publicity;

2. promotion of the arts and cultural events;

3. construction, maintenance, and operation of facilities for civic and cultural activities including construction and maintenance of access and other nearby roads and utilities for the facilities;

4. the criminal justice system, law enforcement, fire protection, solid waste collection, and health facilities when required to serve tourists and tourist facilities. This is based on the estimated percentage of costs directly attributed to tourists;

5. public facilities such as restrooms, dressing rooms, parks, and parking lots;

6. tourist shuttle transportation;

7. control and repair of waterfront erosion;

8. operating visitor information centers.

(c) Allocations to the special fund must be spent by the municipality or county within two years of receipt. If the allocations are not spent within two years, the municipality or county is subject to the provisions of Section 6-4-30(6). However, the time limit may be extended upon the recommendation of the county or municipality and approval of the South Carolina Accommodations Tax Oversight Committee in Section 6-4-30. An extension must include provisions that funds be committed for a specific project or program.

(d) In the expenditure of these funds, counties and municipalities are required to promote tourism and make tourism-related expenditures primarily in the geographical areas of the county or municipality in which the proceeds of the tax are collected where it is practical.

HISTORY: 1990 Act No. 612, Part II, Section 74B; 1991 Act No. 147, Section 1; 2010 Act No. 284, Section 2, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on June 28, 2010).