Source: https://judicial.state.sc.us/whatsnew/displaywhatsnew.cfm?indexID=2402
Timestamp: 2020-06-03 12:50:28
Document Index: 711792408

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 14', '§14', '§4', '§5', '§14', '§14', '§14']

This past legislative term there was legislation passed regarding the collection, distribution and reporting of court generated revenues in the summary courts. There were several temporary provisos that have been repeated in previous General Appropriations Acts and are repeated again in the 2019 - 2020 General Appropriations Act. There was also legislation passed last year which affected the preparation and submission of the independent external audits required annually by County and Municipal Treasurers. However, there was no legislation passed that will have an effect on the amounts of actual surcharges and assessments imposed in the courts of this State.
The entire fees and assessments memorandum for fiscal year 2019 – 2020 will be posted on the Judicial Department website at www.sccourts.org under “Court News.”.
1. Effective July 1, 2019, Section 59.15 of the 2019-2020 Gen. Appropriations Act provides that counties and municipalities may retain carry forward victims funds that were collected pursuant to specified sections of the S. C. Code, but not more than $25,000 or ten percent of funds collected in the prior fiscal year, whichever is higher. Any unspent funds that are greater than the allowed carried forward funds, regardless of the year collected, must remit those funds to the State Victim Assistance Program (SVAP) with the Office of the Attorney General within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year. The Section further provides that SVAP shall offer training in technical assistance to each municipality and county on the use and the counting of victims funds. Section 59.15 is provided below.
2. Effective July 1, 2019, Section 98.9 of the Temporary Provisions of the 2019 – 2020 General Appropriations Act provides that if a municipality fails to submit the audited financial requirements required under § 14-1-208 to the State Treasurer within 13 months of the end of their fiscal year, the State Treasurer must withhold all State payments to that municipality until the required audited financial statement is received. Section 98.9 is provided below.
If the State Treasurer receives an audit report from either a county or municipality that contains a significant finding related to court fine reports or remittances to the Office of State Treasurer, the requirements of Proviso 117.51 shall be followed if an amount due is specified, otherwise the State Treasurer shall withhold twenty-five percent of all state payments to the county or municipality until the estimated deficiency has been satisfied.
3. Effective July 1, 2019, Section 105.4 of the Temporary Provisions of the 2019 – 2020 General Appropriations Act provides for the annual audits of court fees and fines by the State Auditor, and authorizes the State Auditor to consult with the State Treasurer to determine the jurisdictions to be audited. Section 105.4 is provided below.
4. Effective July 1, 2019, Section 117.50 of the Temporary Provisions of the 2019 - 2020 General Appropriations Act authorizes the Office of Crime Victim Compensation to conduct an audit on any county treasurer, municipal treasurer, county clerk of court, magistrate, or municipal court that the State Auditor has determined has not properly allocated revenue generated from court fines, fees, and assessments to the crime victim funds or has not properly expended crime victim funds pursuant to State law. Section 117.50 is provided below.
5. Effective July 1, 2019, Section 117.105 of the Temporary Provisions of the 2019 – 2020 General Appropriations Act authorizes the SC Criminal Justice Academy to cease providing services to all law enforcement officers of law enforcement agencies encompassed within a political subdivision for failing to comply with proper remittance of court fee and fine money. Section 117.105 is provided below.
6. Effective July 1, 2017, Act No. 96 of 2017 created the South Carolina Crime Victims Services Division of the South Carolina Attorney General's office. The Act amended S. C. Code §§14-1-206 (E) and (I), 14-1-207 (E) and (I), and 14-1 208 (E) and (I), relating to fees and fines collected by circuit court, magistrate court, and municipal court, respectively, so as to require the South Carolina Crime Victim Services Division to create a Uniform Supplemental Schedule Form detailing all fines and assessments collected by those clerks of court, the amount remitted to the county or municipal treasurer, and the amount remitted to the State Treasurer. The form shall be included in the annual independent external audit required to be performed for each county pursuant to S. C. Code §4-9-150, and for each municipality pursuant to S. C. Code §5-7-240.
7. Effective July 1, 2017, Act No. 96 of 2017 added S. C. Code §14-1-211.6 which provides that if the State Auditor finds that any county treasurer, municipal treasurer, county clerk of court, magistrate, municipal court is not properly allocated revenue from court fines fees and assessments to crime victim funds, the State Auditor shall notify the office of the Attorney General, South Carolina Crime Victim Services Division, who is provided enforcement authority under that statute, which is provided in its entirety below.
8. Effective July 1, 2017, Act No. 96 of 2017 amended S. C. Code §14-1-210 (A) regarding periodic audits of county treasurers, municipal treasurers, county clerks of court, magistrates and municipal courts, so as to make technical changes in compliance with the Act. That Section is provided below in its entirety.
9. Effective July 1, 2017, Act No. 96 of 2017 added S. C. Code §14-1-211.5 to the Code and provides that the Department of Crime Victim Assistance Grant shall offer training in technical assistance to municipalities and counties of victim's funds. That statute is provided below.
The actual distribution of revenue generated by the circuit, family, and magistrate courts is handled by the county treasurer in most cases. City treasurers disburse monies generated by the municipal courts. The treasurers are required to remit the funds to the State Treasurer monthly on such forms and in such manner as is required by him. The county treasurer can determine which funds should be transmitted to the State Treasurer by referring to the magistrates' South Carolina Revenue Report, which is generated by the South Carolina Judicial Department's Case Management System (CMS). The city treasurer can determine which funds should be transmitted to the State Treasurer by referring to the municipal courts' remittance form which is included as "Attachment F." For those cities that are on CMS, please refer to the Municipal Revenue Report, rather than "Attachment F." Also, see “Attachment K” for a schedule of civil filing fees collected in magistrate’s court. Attachment L” includes a list of approved expenditures for victims’ funds. Also, examples of specific fines and applicable assessments/surcharges are included as “Attachment M.” A list of State parking laws exempt from assessments can be found at “Attachment N” of the enclosed memorandum. The recommended roadside bond list, which contains numerous crimes and offenses and applicable assessments, is found at “Attachment P.” “Attachment O” contains the judge’s total calculator. Finally, the Uniform Supplemental Schedule for use in the annual external audit for identifying victim funds is included as "Attachment S."