NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1981 SESSION

CHAPTER 243

SENATE BILL 294

AN ACT TO ALLOW A REFERENDUM ON REPEAL OF A HOSPITAL TAX LEVIED UNDER ARTICLE 13C OF CHAPTER 131 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1. Article 13C of Chapter 131 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 131-126.38B. Referendum on repeal of tax levy. - (a) The board of commissioners of the county in which a hospital district was created under the provisions of this Article may, if a tax levy was authorized by referendum under G.S. 131-126.38, call a referendum on November 3, 1981, on the repeal of the authority to levy a tax. Such referendum may be called only if there are no outstanding general obligation bonds of the district.

(b)        The question on the ballot shall be:

[ ] FOR removal of the right of the board of county commissioners to levy and collect a tax in ________ Hospital District.

[ ] AGAINST removal of the right of the board of county commissioners to levy and collect a tax in ________ Hospital District'.

(c)        The referendum shall be conducted in the same manner as bond elections held under G.S. 159-61. No new registration of voters shall be required.

(d)        If a majority of the votes cast are in favor of the question, then beginning on the first day of the fiscal year following the date of the referendum, the board of county commissioners shall have no authority to levy a tax in the hospital district unless the voters approve under G.S. 131-126.38. No such referendum may be held within one year of the date of a referendum under this section."

Sec. 2. This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 23rd day of April, 1981.