(1) Repealed.

(2) If, in the judgment of the qualified voters of a district or the supervisors, a tax levy or assessment is essential to accomplish the purposes of the district as set forth in this article, the levy may be assessed as follows:

(a) The supervisors shall prepare a budget and distribute the amount thereof over the lands within the district in accordance with the valuation for assessment, but in no event shall the assessment on real property be in excess of one-half of one mill. Such tax levy or assessment shall be for the general purposes of the district and not for special purposes as provided for in paragraph (d) of this subsection (2).

(b) Prior to setting a date for an election as provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection (2), the supervisors shall hold a public hearing concerning the imposition of a tax levy or assessment. Thereafter, if the board of supervisors decides to proceed with an election, it shall give notice by publication, as provided in section 35-70-105 (6), setting forth the date of the election, the rate or amount of such levy or assessment, a statement as to why such levy or assessment is necessary, and other information concerning the holding of the election.

(c) No tax levy or assessment shall be imposed within a district unless it is first submitted to the qualified electors of the district and approved by a majority of the votes cast. Any such election shall be conducted as provided in section 35-70-105 (7). Any increase in the tax levy or assessment, if the existing levy or assessment does not equal the one-half mill maximum, shall also be proposed and approved at an election in the same manner as provided in this paragraph (c). An existing tax levy or assessment may be continued from year to year or decreased as determined by the board of supervisors and approved by the state board.

(d) If, in the judgment of the qualified voters of a portion of a district or in the judgment of the supervisors, a tax levy or assessment is required for special purposes on real property in said portion of a district for the installation, maintenance, and operation of flood prevention and watershed improvement measures and practices, an assessment or tax levy, in addition to any levy assessed pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), for such portion of the district may be levied on real property as provided for in this subsection (2), but only the qualified voters owning lands within the aforesaid delineated parts of the district may vote upon the question as to whether or not such levy or assessment shall be imposed. Such tax levy or assessment for special purposes shall be administered in the same manner as set forth in paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) and, when combined with any other levy of the district pursuant to this article, shall be subject to the same one-half mill levy limit set forth in said paragraph (a).

(3) The bylaws of any conservation district may be altered, amended, or repealed or have additions made thereto at any regular or regularly called special meeting of the district, upon compliance with the following requirements: A petition whose text sets forth the proposed amendment in full, signed by not less than three percent or fifty of the qualified voters of the district, whichever is less, must be filed with the supervisors; the complete text of the proposed amendment must be published in the notice of the meeting at which it is to be considered, which notice must be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation within each county in which property included within the district is located, not less than ten days prior to the said meeting; and those present at the said meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be considered shall constitute a quorum for the consideration of the proposed amendment, and the affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority thereof shall be required to adopt the proposed amendment.