NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1977 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1133

HOUSE BILL 682

 

 

AN ACT TO PROVIDE A REFERENDUM IN COLUMBUS COUNTY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE COUNTY POLICE FORCE AND BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY SHALL BE RETAINED.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1. The County Board of Elections of Columbus County shall hold a special election on a date to be determined by the county board of commissioners for the purpose of submitting to the voters of the county the question of whether the Columbus County Public Safety Commission and the county police force, as established by Chapter 101, Session Laws of 1973, as amended by Chapter 299, Session Laws of 1973, and Chapter 311, Session Laws of 1973, and Chapter 920, Session Laws of 1973, Chapter 460, Session Laws of 1975, and Chapter 69, Session Laws of 1977, shall be abolished or retained.

The board of elections shall give notice of the election as required by law, and the special election shall be held and conducted in accordance with the general election laws of North Carolina.

Sec. 2. The ballot shall be in the following form:

"FOR retaining the Columbus County Public Safety Commission and county police force

AGAINST retaining the Columbus County Public Safety Commission and county police force."

If a majority of the votes cast are for retaining the Columbus County Public Safety Commission and county police force, then Chapter 101, Session Laws of 1973, as amended by Chapter 299, Session Laws of 1973, and Chapter 311, Session Laws of 1973, and Chapter 920, Session Laws of 1973, Chapter 460, Session Laws of 1975, and Chapter 69, Session Laws of 1977, shall continue in full force and effect.

If a majority of the votes cast are against retaining the Columbus County Public Safety Commission and county police force, then Chapter 101, Session Laws of 1973, Chapter 299, Session Laws of 1973, and Chapter 311, Session Laws of 1973, and Chapter 920, Session Laws of 1973, Chapter 460, Session Laws of 1975, and Chapter 69, Session Laws of 1977, shall be repealed, effective on the date of the taking of the oath of office of the sheriff next elected following the certification of the results of the special election by the county board of elections.

Sec. 3. In the event the vote in the special election is against retaining the Columbus County Public Safety Commission and county police force, then the commission shall transfer all of its property, motor vehicles, and equipment to the sheriff of Columbus County on the date of the taking of the oath of office of the sheriff next elected following the certification of the results of the special election by the county board of elections.

Sec. 4. If the Columbus County Public Safety Commission and county police force are abolished under this act, then Chapter 300, Session Laws of 1973, shall be repealed on the date of the taking of the oath of office of the sheriff next elected following the certification of the results of the special election by the county board of elections, and Chapter 72, Session Laws of 1971, shall be in full force and effect.

Sec. 5. This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 12th day of June, 1978.