reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1314. Campaign contribution limits and restrictions.

(A) Within an election cycle, a candidate or anyone acting on his behalf shall not solicit or accept, and a person shall not give or offer to give to a candidate or person acting on the candidate's behalf:
(1) a contribution which exceeds:
(a) three thousand five hundred dollars in the case of a candidate for statewide office; or
(b) three thousand five hundred dollars in the aggregate for statewide candidates elected jointly pursuant to Section 8, Article IV of the South Carolina Constitution, 1895; or
(c) one thousand dollars in the case of a candidate for any other office;
(2) a cash contribution from an individual unless the cash contribution does not exceed twenty-five dollars and is accompanied by a record of the amount of the contribution and the name and address of the contributor;
(3) a contribution from, whether directly or indirectly, a registered lobbyist if that lobbyist engages in lobbying the public office or public body for which the candidate is seeking election;
(4) contributions for two elective offices simultaneously, except as provided in Section 8-13-1318.
(B) The restrictions on contributions in subsection (A)(1) and (2) do not apply to a candidate making a contribution to his own campaign.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 38, eff November 3, 2004; 2018 Act No. 142 (H.4977), Section 5, eff March 15, 2018.
Effect of Amendment
2018 Act No. 142, Section 5, in (A), substituted "a candidate or anyone acting on his behalf shall not solicit or accept, and a person shall not give" for "no candidate or anyone acting on his behalf shall solicit or accept, and no person shall give", inserted (A)(1)(b), and redesignated former (A)(1)(b) as (A)(1)(c); and in (B), substituted "subsection (A)(1) and (2)" for "subsections (A)(1) and (A)(2)".
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1316. Restrictions on campaign contributions received from political parties; exception for multi-candidate promotions.

(A) Notwithstanding Section 8-13-1314(A)(1), within an election cycle, a candidate may not accept or receive contributions from a political party through its party committees or legislative caucus committees, and a political party through its party committees or legislative caucus committees may not give to a candidate contributions which total in the aggregate more than:
(1) fifty thousand dollars in the case of a candidate for statewide office; or
(2) five thousand dollars in the case of a candidate for any other office.
(B) The recipient of a contribution given in violation of subsection (A) may not keep the contribution, but within seven days must remit the contribution to the Children's Trust Fund.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 39, eff November 3, 2004.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1318. Acceptance of contributions to retire campaign debt; limits; reporting requirements.

If a candidate has a debt from a campaign for an elective office, the candidate may accept contributions to retire the debt, even if the candidate accepts contributions for another elective office or the same elective office during a subsequent election cycle, as long as those contributions accepted to retire the debt are:
(1) within the contribution limits applicable to the last election in which the candidate sought the elective office for which the debt was incurred; and
(2) reported as provided in this article.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1320. Contributions within specified period after primary, special, or general election attributed to that primary or election.

For purposes of this article:
(1) A contribution made on or before the seventh day after a primary is attributed to the primary. However, in the event of a primary runoff, all contributions made after the day of the primary and continuing through the seventh day after the primary runoff are attributed to the primary runoff for the purposes of applying contribution limits.
(2) A contribution made on or before the end of the quarter immediately following a general election or special election is attributed to the general election or special election, respectively.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2016 Act No. 184 (H.3193), Section 1, eff May 25, 2016.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1322. Dollar limits on contributions to committees.

(A) A person may not contribute to a committee and a committee may not accept from a person contributions aggregating more than three thousand five hundred dollars in a calendar year.
(B) A person may not contribute to a committee and a committee may not accept from a person a cash contribution unless the cash contribution does not exceed twenty-five dollars for each election and is accompanied by a record of the amount of the contribution and the name and address of the contributor.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1324. Anonymous campaign contributions.

(A) A person shall not make an anonymous contribution to a candidate, committee, or ballot measure committee, and a candidate, committee, or ballot measure committee shall not accept an anonymous contribution from an individual except at a ticketed event where food or beverages are served or where political merchandise is distributed and where the price of the ticket is twenty-five dollars or less and goes toward defraying the cost of food, beverages, or political merchandise in whole or in part.
(B) The recipient of an anonymous contribution given in violation of subsection (A) or the recipient of any other anonymous contribution shall not keep the contribution but within seven days must remit the contribution to the Children's Trust Fund.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 40, eff June 26, 2003.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1326. Loans to candidates considered contributions; limitations; exceptions.

(A) A loan is considered a contribution from the maker or the guarantors of the loan and is subject to the contribution limitations of this article.
(B) A loan to a candidate must be by written agreement.
(C) The proceeds of a loan made to a candidate under the following conditions are not subject to the contribution limits of this article:
(1) by a commercial lending institution;
(2) in the regular course of business;
(3) on the same terms ordinarily available to members of the public; and
(4) secured or guaranteed upon which collection is not made.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1328. Limits on repayment of loans from candidate or family members to campaign.

(A) A candidate for statewide office or the candidate's family member must not be repaid, for a loan made to the candidate, more than twenty-five thousand dollars in the aggregate after the election.
(B) A candidate for an elective office other than those specified in subsection (A) or a family member of a candidate for an elective office other than those specified in subsection (A) must not be repaid, for a loan made to the candidate, more than ten thousand dollars in the aggregate after the election.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1330. Contributions by spouses or parent and child.

Contributions by each spouse are considered separate contributions and are not attributable to the other spouse. Contributions by unemancipated children under eighteen years of age are considered contributions by their parents. Fifty percent of the contributions are attributed to each parent, or in the case of a single custodial parent, the total amount is attributed to the custodial parent.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1331. Solicitation of contributions by corporations from shareholders, executive personnel, and certain related corporate entities.

Notwithstanding Section 8-13-1332(3), a corporation or committee of a corporation may solicit the shareholders and executive or administrative personnel of the corporation and its subsidiaries, branches, divisions, affiliates and their families. For purposes of this section, all committees established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, including any direct or indirect parent, subsidiary, branch, or division thereof, are affiliated. With respect to a corporation or committee of a corporation that solicits contributions pursuant to this section, contributions made or received by affiliated committees are considered to be made or received by a single committee for purposes of contribution limits in Sections 8-13-1314 and 8-13-1322. A corporation or committee of a corporation that solicits contributions pursuant to this section must certify in the manner prescribed by Section 8-13-1308(H) that contributions made or received by the committee and its affiliated committees, if any, have complied with contribution limits in Sections 8-13-1314 and 8-13-1322 as if the committee and its affiliated committees, if any, were a single committee.
HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 245, Section 5, eff May 29, 2008.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1332. Unlawful contributions and expenditures.

It is unlawful for:
(1) a committee or ballot measure committee to make a contribution or expenditure by using:
(a) anything of value secured by physical force, job discrimination, financial reprisals, or threat of the same;
(b) dues, fees, or other monies required as a condition of membership in a labor organization, or as a condition of employment; or
(c) monies obtained by the committee or the ballot measure committee in a commercial transaction;
(2) a person to solicit an employee for a contribution and fail to inform the employee of the political purposes of the committee or ballot measure committee and of the employee's right to refuse to contribute without any advantage or promise of an advantage conditioned upon making the contribution or reprisal or threat of reprisal related to the failure to make the contribution;
(3) a corporation or committee of a corporation to solicit contributions to the corporation or committee from a person other than its shareholders, directors, executive or administrative personnel, and their families, except as provided in Section 8-13-1333.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 41, eff June 26, 2003.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1333. Soliciting contributions from the general public.

(A) Not-for-profit corporations and committees formed by not-for-profit corporations may solicit contributions from the general public.
(B) An organization or a committee of an organization may solicit contributions from the general public.
(C)(1) A legislative special interest caucus must not solicit contributions as defined in Section 8-13-100(9), however, it may solicit funds from the general public for the limited purpose of defraying mailing expenses, including cost of materials and postage, and for members of the legislative special interest caucus to attend regional and national conferences. Legislative special interest caucus members may attend a regional or national conference only if the conference is exclusively comprised of legislative special interest caucus counterparts and convenes for the purpose of interacting and exchanging ideas among caucus members and the conference is sponsored by a national organization with which the legislative special interest caucus is affiliated. Attendance at any conference is prohibited if the conference is sponsored by any lobbying group or extends an invitation to persons other than legislators. Under no circumstances may a legislative special interest caucus accept funds from a lobbyist. Each special interest caucus must submit a financial statement to the appropriate supervisory office by January first and July first of each year showing the total amount of funds received and total amount of funds paid out. It must also maintain the following records, for not less than four years, which must be available to the appropriate supervisory office for inspection:
(a) the total amount of funds received by the legislative special interest caucus;
(b) the name and address of each person or entity making a donation and the amount and date of receipt of each donation;
(c) all receipted bills, canceled checks, or other proof of payment for any expenses paid by the legislative special interest caucus.
(2) A legislative special interest caucus may not accept a gift, loan, or anything of value, except for funds permitted in subsection (C)(1) above.
HISTORY: 2003 Act No. 76, Section 42, eff June 26, 2003; 2006 Act No. 344, Section 5, eff May 31, 2006.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1334. Certain solicitation of contributions by corporations and organizations from employees not unlawful.

Notwithstanding Section 8-13-1332, a corporation or organization and their committees may through biannual seminars or at the time of hiring nonexecutive and nonadministrative personnel provide educational materials to such personnel explaining their organization, purposes, and operation and also may request contributions to their committees if the committees certify in their reports, as required under Section 8-13-1308, that the requirements of Section 8-13-1332 are met.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1336. Accepting or soliciting contributions on State Capitol grounds or in official residence prohibited; exception for contributions by mail.

(A) No public official, candidate, public employee, or committee may accept or solicit campaign contributions on the State Capitol grounds, including the office complexes located on them, or in any building which houses the principal office of a statewide officer.
(B) No public official, candidate, public employee, or committee may accept or collect campaign contributions on the grounds of or in any building which houses the official residence of a statewide officer.
(C) Contributions delivered by mail are excluded from the provisions of this section.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1338. Persons prohibited from soliciting contributions.

(A) The following persons personally may not solicit, verbally or in writing, a contribution to a candidate:
(1) a law enforcement officer while in uniform;
(2) a judge or candidate for judicial office;
(3) a solicitor, an assistant solicitor, or an investigator in a solicitor's office;
(4) the Attorney General, a deputy attorney general, an assistant attorney general, or an investigator in the Attorney General's office.
(B) The restrictions of subsection (A) on solicitation of contributions do not apply to:
(1) a candidate soliciting a contribution to his own campaign; or
(2) a part-time assistant solicitor.
(C) A law enforcement officer while in uniform may not solicit a contribution to any political party or candidate.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1342. Restrictions on contributions by contractor to candidate who participated in awarding of contract.

No person who has been awarded a contract with the State, a county, a municipality, or a political subdivision thereof, other than contracts awarded through competitive bidding practices, may make a contribution after the awarding of the contract or invest in a financial venture in which a public official has an interest if that official was in a position to act on the contract's award. No public official or public employee may solicit campaign contributions or investments in exchange for the prior award of a contract or the promise of a contract with the State, a county, a municipality, or a political subdivision thereof.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1344. Contributions by public utilities; seeking endorsement in return for contribution; discrimination by employers based on contributions; reimbursement for contributions.

(A) A public utility may not include in its operating expenses a contribution or expenditure to influence an election or to operate a political action committee.
(B) A person may not solicit from a candidate, committee, political party, or other person, money or other property as a condition or consideration for an endorsement, article, or other communication in the news media promoting or opposing a candidate, committee, or political party.
(C) An employer may not provide an advantage or disadvantage to an employee concerning the employee's employment or conditions of employment based on the employee's contribution, promise to contribute, or failure to contribute to a candidate, committee, or political party.
(D) A person may not, directly or indirectly, reimburse a person, except for the person's immediate family, for a contribution to a candidate, committee, or political party.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1346. Use of public funds, property, or time to influence election prohibited; exceptions.

(A) A person may not use or authorize the use of public funds, property, or time to influence the outcome of an election.
(B) This section does not prohibit the incidental use of time and materials for preparation of a newsletter reporting activities of the body of which a public official is a member.
(C) This section does not prohibit the expenditure of public resources by a governmental entity to prepare informational materials, conduct public meetings, or respond to news media or citizens' inquiries concerning a ballot measure affecting that governmental entity; however, a governmental entity may not use public funds, property, or time in an attempt to influence the outcome of a ballot measure.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 1995 Act No. 6, Section 42, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature January 12, 1995) and applies only to transactions occurring on or after January 1, 1995.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1348. Use of campaign funds for personal expenses; expenditures more than twenty-five dollars; expenditures not to exceed fair market value; petty cash funds.

(A) No candidate, committee, public official, or political party may use campaign funds to defray personal expenses which are unrelated to the campaign or the office if the candidate is an officeholder nor may these funds be converted to personal use. The prohibition of this subsection does not extend to the incidental personal use of campaign materials or equipment nor to an expenditure used to defray any ordinary expenses incurred in connection with an individual's duties as a holder of elective office.
(B) The payment of reasonable and necessary travel expenses or for food or beverages consumed by the candidate or members of his immediate family while at, and in connection with, a political event are permitted.
(C)(1) An expenditure of more than twenty-five dollars drawn upon a campaign account must be made by:
(a) a written instrument;
(b) debit card; or
(c) online transfers.
The campaign account must contain the name of the candidate or committee, and the expenditure must contain the name of the recipient. These expenditures must be reported pursuant to the provisions of Section 8-13-1308.
(2) Expenditures of twenty-five dollars or less that are not made by a written instrument, debit card, or online transfer containing the name of the candidate or committee and the name of the recipient must be accounted for by a written receipt or written record.
(D) An expenditure may not be made that is clearly in excess of the fair market value of services, materials, facilities, or other things of value received in exchange.
(E) A candidate or a duly authorized officer of a committee may not withdraw more than one hundred dollars from the campaign account to establish or replenish a petty cash fund for the candidate or committee at any time, and at no time may the fund exceed one hundred dollars. Expenditures from the petty cash fund may be made only for office supplies, food, transportation expenses, and other necessities and may not exceed twenty-five dollars for each expenditure.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2010 Act No. 225, Section 1, eff June 7, 2010.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1350. Prohibition of use of funds for campaign for one office to further candidacy of same person for different office.

(A) A candidate for elective office may use or permit the use of contributions solicited for or received by the candidate for that office to further the candidacy of the individual for a different office as long as the contributions have been received on or before December 31, 1992, and have been transferred to a campaign account for the different office on or before December 31, 1992. A contribution solicited for or received on behalf of the candidate is considered solicited or received for the candidacy for which the individual is then a candidate if the funds or contributions are solicited or received before the general election for which the candidate is a nominee or is unopposed. The prohibition on the use or solicitation of funds does not limit in any way a candidate from retaining funds for use in a subsequent race for the same elective office.
(B) Any assets or funds which are:
(1) the proceeds of a campaign contribution which are held by or under the control of a public official or a candidate for public office on January 1, 1993; and
(2) which continue to be held by or under the control of a public official or a candidate for public office on January 1, 1993; are subject to the provisions of subsection (A).
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1993 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1352. Exception to prohibition of use of funds for campaign for one office to further candidacy of same person for different office.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8-13-1350, a candidate may use or permit the use of contributions solicited for or received by the candidate to further the candidacy of the individual for an elective office other than the elective office for which the contributions were received if:
(1) the person originally making the contribution gives written authorization for its use to further the candidacy of the individual for a specific office which is not the office for which the contribution was originally intended; and
(2) the contribution is otherwise permitted by law.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1354. Identification of person independently paying for election-related communication; exemptions.

A candidate, committee, or other person which makes an expenditure in the distribution, posting, or broadcasting of a communication to voters supporting or opposing a public official, a candidate, or a ballot measure must place his name and address on the printed matter or have his name spoken clearly on a broadcast so as to identify accurately the person and his address. Campaign buttons, balloons, yard signs, or similar items are exempt from this requirement.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 1995 Act No. 6, Section 43, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature January 12, 1995) and applies only to transactions occurring on or after January 1, 1995.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1356. Economic interests statements, filing deadlines for particular candidates.

(A) A person who becomes a candidate by filing a statement of intention of candidacy seeking nomination by political party primary or political party convention must electronically file a statement of economic interests for the preceding calendar year pursuant to Section 8-13-365 prior to the close of filing for the particular office.
(B) A person who becomes a candidate by filing a petition for nomination must electronically file a statement of economic interests for the preceding calendar year pursuant to Section 8-13-365 within fifteen days of submitting the petition pursuant to Section 7-11-70 or 7-11-71.
(C) A person who becomes a write-in candidate must electronically file a statement of economic interests for the preceding calendar year within twenty-four hours of filing an initial campaign finance report pursuant to Section 8-13-1308(A) or before taking the oath of office, whichever occurs earlier.
(D) A candidate who is not a public official otherwise filing a statement has the same disclosure requirements as a public official with the exception of reporting gifts.
(E) The appropriate supervisory office shall assess a civil penalty pursuant to Section 8-13-1510 against a candidate who fails to timely file a statement of economic interests as required by this section.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 1995 Act No. 6, Section 44, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature January 12, 1995) and applies only to transactions occurring on or after January 1, 1995; 1996 Act No. 330, Section 1, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on May 21, 1996); 2013 Act No. 61, Section 9, eff June 25, 2013.
Editor's Note
2013 Act No. 61, Section 14, provides as follows:
"SECTION 14. This act takes effect upon preclearance approval by the United States Department of Justice or approval by a declaratory judgment issued by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, whichever occurs first."
The amendment by 2013 Act No. 61 became effective June 25, 2013, see South Carolina Libertarian Party v. South Carolina State Election Com'n, 407 S.C. 612, 757 S.E.2d 707 (2014).
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1358. Format of certified campaign reports.

Except as provided in Section 8-13-365, certified campaign reports must be filed on a format specified by the State Ethics Commission. The reports filed must be typed or printed in ink on forms supplied by the commission. A report may be filed with the commission on a computerized printout if the commission approves the proposed format and style.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 44, eff November 3, 2004.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1362. Filing of statement of inactivity by candidate or committee having no contributions or expenditures to report.

(A) If a candidate or committee has not accepted any contributions and has not made any expenditures during a reporting period, the candidate or a duly authorized officer of the committee must file a statement of inactivity.
(B) A statement of inactivity must include the candidate's or committee's name and address; the type of report, pre-election or quarterly; and a statement by the candidate or a duly authorized officer of the committee verifying that no contributions were received and no expenditures were made during the reporting period. For the purpose of this report, interest earned is not a contribution.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1364. Sending of notice of obligation to report and forms.

The appropriate supervisory office must send a notice of obligation to report and reporting forms by first class mail no less than thirty days before the filing date for each reporting period. A candidate or committee is not relieved of reporting responsibilities if the notice or forms are not sent or if the candidate or committee does not receive a notice or forms.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1366. Public availability of certified campaign reports.

Certified campaign reports must be made available for public inspection at the office of the State Ethics Commission, the Senate Ethics Committee, the House of Representatives Ethics Committee, and the county clerk of court within two business days of receipt. The commission, ethics committees, and county clerks of court shall not require any information or identification as a condition of viewing a report or reports. The commission, ethics committees, and the county clerks of court must ensure that the reports are available for copying or purchase at a reasonable cost.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 45, eff June 26, 2003.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1368. Termination of campaign filing requirements; dissolution of committees; final report.

(A) A candidate is not exempt from the campaign filing requirements as provided in this article until after an election in which the candidate is a candidate or is defeated and after the candidate no longer accepts contributions, incurs expenditures, or pays for expenditures incurred.
(B) Committees and ballot measure committees may dissolve only after no longer accepting contributions, incurring expenditures, or paying for expenditures incurred.
(C) If a committee or a ballot measure committee owes or is owed money, the committee or a ballot measure committee may dissolve, but must report the status of the debt annually on the same schedule as active committees or ballot measure committees until all debts are resolved. The method of resolution to eliminate these debts, including contributions accepted and payment for expenditures incurred, must be stated on the report.
(D) A final report may be filed at the time or before a scheduled filing is due. The form must be marked "final" and include a list of the material assets worth one hundred dollars or more and state their disposition.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 46, eff June 26, 2003.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1370. Use of unexpended contributions by candidate after election; distribution of unexpended funds of committee.

(A) Contributions received by a candidate that are in excess of expenditures during an election cycle must be used by the candidate upon final disbursement:
(1) to defray ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in connection with his duties in his public office;
(2) to be contributed to an organization exempt from tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, a political party, or a committee;
(3) to be maintained in the campaign account for a subsequent race for the same elective office;
(4) to further the candidacy of the individual for a different elective office. However, after December 31, 1992, the funds must be used in a campaign for a different elective office only as provided for in Section 8-13-1352;
(5) to be returned pro rata to all contributors;
(6) to be contributed to the state's general fund; or
(7) to be distributed using a combination of these options.
(B) No candidate may expend contributions for personal use.
(C) A committee required to file reports under this article which has an unexpended balance of funds upon final disbursement not otherwise obligated for expenditures incurred to further the committee's purposes must designate how the surplus funds are to be distributed. The surplus funds must be:
(1) contributed to the state's general fund;
(2) returned pro rata to all contributors;
(3) contributed to a political party or to another committee;
(4) contributed to an organization exempt from tax pursuant to the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; or
(5) distributed using a combination of these options.
(D) A ballot measure committee required to file reports under this article which has an unexpended balance of funds upon final disbursement not otherwise obligated for expenditures incurred to further the ballot measure committee's purposes must designate how the surplus funds are to be distributed. The surplus funds must be:
(1) contributed to the state's general fund;
(2) returned pro rata to all contributors;
(3) contributed to another ballot measure committee;
(4) contributed to an organization exempt from tax pursuant to the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; or
(5) distributed using a combination of these options.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Sections 47, 48, eff June 26, 2003.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1371. Use of contributions for unintended purposes by ballot measure committee; written authorization; distribution of seized funds.

(A) A ballot measure committee must not use or permit the use of contributions solicited for or received by the ballot measure committee for any purpose other than the purpose for which the ballot measure committee was originally created, unless the person making the contribution gives written authorization for a different use other than for which the contribution was originally intended.
(B) The State Ethics Commission has jurisdiction to seize all funds in a ballot measure committee's account and distribute them in accordance with subsection (D) of this section when the ballot measure committee violates any provision of this section.
(C) Within sixty days after the election or referendum at which the ballot measure committee attempted to influence the outcome of the election or referendum, the funds remaining in the ballot measure committee's account after the election or referendum must be distributed in accordance with subsection (D) of this section.
(D) The seized funds must be:
(1) contributed to the state's general fund;
(2) contributed to an organization exempt from tax pursuant to the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
(3) returned pro rata to all contributors; or
(4) distributed using a combination of these options.
HISTORY: 2003 Act No. 76, Section 49, eff November 3, 2004.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1372. Technical violations of rules on campaign reports.

(A) The appropriate supervisory office, in its discretion, may determine that errors or omissions on campaign reports are inadvertent and unintentional and not an effort to violate a requirement of this chapter and may be handled as technical violations which are not subject to the provisions of this chapter pertaining to ethical violations. Technical violations must remain confidential unless requested to be made public by the candidate filing the report. In lieu of all other penalties, the appropriate supervisory office may assess a technical violations penalty not to exceed fifty dollars.
(B) A violation other than an inadvertent or unintentional violation must be considered by the appropriate supervisory office for appropriate action.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 50, eff June 26, 2003; 2011 Act No. 1, Section 2, eff January 19, 2011.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1373. Fiscal Accountability Authority to defend State after refusal by Attorney General; selection of counsel; management of litigation.

If the Attorney General, after request by the State or any of its political subdivisions, refuses to defend an action brought in a court of competent jurisdiction challenging any provision of this chapter, the State Fiscal Accountability Authority, using funds appropriated to the civil contingency fund, must defend the action brought against the State or the political subdivision. In cases where the Attorney General refuses to defend such an action, the State Fiscal Accountability Authority must consult with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the selection of counsel and in other matters relating to the management of the litigation.
HISTORY: 2003 Act No. 76, Section 51, eff June 26, 2003; 2019 Act No. 1 (S.2), Section 36, eff January 31, 2019.
Effect of Amendment
2019 Act No. 1, Section 36, in the second sentence, substituted "President of the Senate" for "President Pro Tempore of the Senate".
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1374. Richland County designated as site of failure to file.

The failure to file a report or statement with the appropriate supervisory office, as required under the provisions of this chapter, is deemed to have occurred in Richland County.
HISTORY: 1995 Act No. 6, Section 45, effective upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature January 12, 1995) and applies only to transactions occurring on or after January 1, 1995.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1510. Civil and criminal penalties for late filing of or failure to file report or statement required by this chapter.

(A) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, a person required to file a report or statement under this chapter who files a late statement or report or fails to file a required statement or report must be assessed a civil penalty as follows:
(1) a fine of one hundred dollars if the statement or report is not filed within five days after the established deadline provided by law in this chapter; and
(2) after notice has been given by certified or registered mail that a required statement or report has not been filed, a fine of ten dollars per calendar day for the first ten days after notice has been given, and one hundred dollars for each additional calendar day in which the required statement or report is not filed, not exceeding five thousand dollars.
(B) After the maximum civil penalty has been levied and the required statement or report has not been filed, the person is:
(1) for a first offense, guilty of a misdemeanor triable in magistrates court and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days;
(2) for a second offense, guilty of a misdemeanor triable in magistrates court and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two thousand five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not less than a mandatory minimum of thirty days;
(3) for a third or subsequent offense, guilty of a misdemeanor triable in magistrates court and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 52, eff July 1, 2003; 2011 Act No. 40, Section 6, eff June 7, 2011.
2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees › Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform › Section 8-13-1520. Violation of chapter constitutes misdemeanor; violation not necessarily ethical infraction.

(A) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, a person who violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
(B) A person who violates any provision of this Article 13 is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred percent of the amount of contributions or anything of value that should have been reported pursuant to the provisions of this Article 13 but not less than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
(C) A violation of the provisions of this chapter does not necessarily subject a public official to the provisions of Section 8-13-560.
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 3, eff January 1, 1992 and governs only transactions which take place after December 31, 1991; 2003 Act No. 76, Section 53, eff November 3, 2004.