(A) The first eighteen million dollars generated from three cents of the user fee levied in this chapter must be segregated in a separate account for economic development. This account may be expended only upon the authorization of the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development which shall establish project priorities. Funds devoted to the economic development account must remain in the account if not expended in the previous fiscal year. Annually, funds from the user fee must be deposited to replenish the account to the extent and in an amount necessary to maintain an uncommitted or an unobligated fund balance of eighteen million dollars but not to exceed eighteen million dollars for the ensuing fiscal year, or both. The council may spend no more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars, in the first year only, for a long-term economic development plan which must be submitted to the General Assembly on completion of the plan. The council may spend not more than sixty thousand dollars annually for a state infrastructure model.

(B) All interest earnings on the Economic Development Account must be credited to the State Highway Fund.

(C) Notwithstanding another provision of law, the payments required pursuant to subsection (A) shall be:

(1) in fiscal year 2005-2006, twelve million dollars to the account for economic development and six million dollars credited to the Department of Transportation State Non-Federal Aid Highway Fund; and

(2) in fiscal year 2006-2007, six million dollars to the account for economic development and twelve million dollars credited to the Department of Transportation State Non-Federal Aid Highway Fund. All payments to the account for economic development shall cease at the end of fiscal year 2006-2007.

(D) Beginning in fiscal year 2007-2008, and each succeeding fiscal year, the first eighteen million dollars generated from three cents of the user fee levied in this chapter must be credited to the Department of Transportation State Non-Federal Aid Highway Fund.

(E) From the amount set aside pursuant to subsection (A), the council is authorized to expend funds which were not obligated or committed as of July first of the current fiscal year only as necessary for the location or expansion of an industry or business facility in South Carolina. Eligible expenditures include water and sewer projects, road or rail construction and improvement projects, land acquisition, fiber-optic cable, relocation of new employees, pollution-control equipment, environmental testing and related due diligence reports, acquiring and improving real property, and site preparation. Site preparation is defined as surveying, environmental and geotechnical study and mitigation, clearing, filling, and grading. Relocation expenses constitute eligible expenditures only for those employees to whom the company is paying gross wages at least two times the lower of the per capita income for either the State or the county in which the project is located. The Coordinating Council annually shall prepare a detailed report for submission to the General Assembly by March fifteenth which itemizes the expenditures from the fund for the preceding calendar year. The report shall include an identification of the following information:

(a) company name or confidential project number;

(b) location of project;

(c) amount of grant award; and

(d) scope of grant award.

HISTORY: 1995 Act No. 136, Section 2; 1995 Act No. 145, Part II, Section 49C; 2005 Act No. 176, Section 3, eff June 14, 2005; 2010 Act No. 290, Section 29, eff January 1, 2011.