South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 17 - Lobbyists And Lobbying
Section 2-17-110. Additional acts prohibited of lobbyists and lobbyists' principals, public officials, and public employees.

(A) A lobbyist may not solicit or accept compensation dependent in any manner upon the passage or defeat of any pending or proposed legislation, covered agency actions, or covered gubernatorial actions. A lobbyist's principal may not employ, appoint, or retain a lobbyist for compensation dependent in any manner upon the passage or defeat of any pending or proposed legislation, covered agency actions, or covered gubernatorial actions.
(B) A lobbyist may not cause the introduction of legislation, covered agency actions, or covered gubernatorial actions for the purpose of obtaining employment to engage in lobbying in support of or in opposition to the action.
(C) A lobbyist may not serve as a treasurer for a candidate, as defined in Section 8-13-1300(4).
(D) A lobbyist may not serve as a member of a state board or state commission, except that any lobbyist serving as a member of a state board or a state commission before January 1, 1991, may continue to serve as a member of the same state board or state commission until the end of his current term.
(E) A lobbyist, including a lobbyist who is a former member of the General Assembly, may not enter the floor of the House of Representatives or the Senate unless invited by the membership of the respective chamber during a session of the General Assembly.
(F) A lobbyist, a lobbyist's principal, or a person acting on behalf of a lobbyist or a lobbyist's principal may not host events to raise funds for public officials. No public official may solicit a lobbyist, a lobbyist's principal, or a person acting on behalf of a lobbyist or a lobbyist's principal to host a fundraising event for the public official.
(G) A lobbyist, a lobbyist's principal, or a person acting on behalf of a lobbyist or a lobbyist's principal may not employ on retainer a public official, a public employee, a member of the immediate family of a public official or public employee, or a firm or organization in which the public official or public employee has an economic interest. A retainer, for purposes of this section, is a payment for availability to perform services rather than for actual services rendered.
(H) A lobbyist, a lobbyist's principal, or a person acting on behalf of a lobbyist or a lobbyist's principal shall not pay an honorarium to a public official or a public employee. This subsection does not prohibit the reimbursement of or expenditure for actual expenses by a lobbyist's principal as allowed in Section 2-17-100.
(I) A lobbyist, a lobbyist's principal, or a person acting on behalf of a lobbyist or a lobbyist's principal may not offer, facilitate, or provide a loan to or on behalf of a statewide constitutional officer or a member of the General Assembly unless the lobbyist's principal is a financial institution authorized to transact business in the State and makes the loan in the ordinary course of business.
(J) A lobbyist, a lobbyist's principal, or a person acting on behalf of a lobbyist or a lobbyist's principal shall not offer or provide contributions or any other type of funds or financial assistance to a legislative special interest caucus as defined in Section 2-17-10(21).
HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 248, Section 2; 2006 Act No. 344, Section 6, eff May 31, 2006.
Effect of Amendment
The 2006 amendment added subsection (J) relating to contributions to a legislative special interest caucus.

Structure South Carolina Code of Laws

South Carolina Code of Laws

Title 2 - General Assembly

Chapter 17 - Lobbyists And Lobbying

Section 2-17-5. Transfer of duties and powers from Secretary of State to State Ethics Commission.

Section 2-17-10. Definitions.

Section 2-17-15. Persons prohibited from serving as lobbyist; application of section.

Section 2-17-17. Outside lobbyists' disclosure statements; copies to board members, commissioners, etc.

Section 2-17-20. Registration of lobbyists; notice of termination of lobbying activities; supplemental registration statements; list of lobbyists; recording keeping requirements; reregistration requirements.

Section 2-17-25. Registration of lobbyist's principal; notice of termination of lobbying authority; supplemental registration statements; list of lobbyist's principal; recording keeping requirements; reregistration requirements.

Section 2-17-30. Lobbyist's reporting of lobbying activities.

Section 2-17-35. Lobbyist's principal's reporting of lobbying expenditures.

Section 2-17-40. Report of lobbying activities of state agency or department.

Section 2-17-45. Reports required of certain entities which rank or rate actions, votes or failures to act or vote of certain public officials.

Section 2-17-50. State Ethics Commission to enforce filing requirements of chapter and to assess civil or criminal penalties for failure to file; filing of required reports and payment of fine constitutes compliance; payment of fine without filing no...

Section 2-17-60. Duties of State Ethics Commission.

Section 2-17-65. Review of reports for compliance; audits of lobbyists and principals; procedure upon failure to file required information after notice.

Section 2-17-80. Acts prohibited of lobbyists; acts prohibited of public officials and employees; exceptions.

Section 2-17-90. Acts prohibited of lobbyists' principals; acts prohibited of public officials and employees; exceptions; disclosure requirements.

Section 2-17-100. Public officials and employees not to receive compensation for speaking before audiences; exception and rules for payment of expenses.

Section 2-17-110. Additional acts prohibited of lobbyists and lobbyists' principals, public officials, and public employees.

Section 2-17-120. Suspension of lobbyist upon indictment for violation of provision of this chapter.

Section 2-17-130. Penalties For violations of provisions of this chapter.

Section 2-17-140. Groundless allegations of violations to be stricken from public record; penalties for wilful filing of groundless complaint.

Section 2-17-150. Statute of limitations for prosecuting violation of provision of this chapter.