South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform
Section 8-13-1120. Contents of statement of economic interests.

(A) A statement of economic interests filed pursuant to Section 8-13-1110 must be on forms prescribed by the State Ethics Commission and must contain full and complete information concerning:
(1) the name, business or government address, and workplace telephone number of the filer;
(2) the source, type, and amount or value of income, not to include tax refunds, of substantial monetary value received from a governmental entity by the filer or a member of the filer's immediate family during the reporting period;
(3)(a) the description, value, and location of all real property owned and options to purchase real property during the reporting period by a filer or a member of the filer's immediate family if:
(i) there have been any public improvements of more than two hundred dollars on or adjacent to the real property within the reporting period and the public improvements are known to the filer; or
(ii) the interest can reasonably be expected to be the subject of a conflict of interest; or
(b) if a sale, lease, or rental of personal or real property is to a state, county, or municipal instrumentality of government, a copy of the contract, lease, or rental agreement must be attached to the statement of economic interests;
(4) the name of each organization which paid for or reimbursed actual expenses of the filer for speaking before a public or private group, the amount of such payment or reimbursement, and the purpose, date, and location of the speaking engagement;
(5) the identity of every business or entity in which the filer or a member of the filer's immediate family held or controlled, in the aggregate, securities or interests constituting five percent or more of the total issued and outstanding securities and interests which constitute a value of one hundred thousand dollars or more;
(6)(a) a listing by name and address of each creditor to whom the filer or member of the filer's immediate family owed a debt in excess of five hundred dollars at any time during the reporting period, if the creditor is subject to regulation by the filer or is seeking or has sought a business or financial arrangement with the filer's agency or department other than for a credit card or retail installment contract, and the original amount of the debt and amount outstanding unless:
(i) the debt is promised or loaned by a bank, savings and loan, or other licensed financial institution which loans money in the ordinary course of its business and on terms and interest rates generally available to a member of the general public without regard to status as a public official, public member, or public employee; or
(ii) the debt is promised or loaned by an individual's family member if the person who promises or makes the loan is not acting as the agent or intermediary for someone other than a person named in this subitem; and
(b) the rate of interest charged the filer or a member of the filer's immediate family for a debt required to be reported in (a);
If a discharge of a debt required to be reported in (a) has been made, the date of the transaction must be shown.
(7) the name of any lobbyist, as defined in Section 2-17-10(13) who is:
(a) an immediate family member of the filer;
(b) an individual with whom or business with which the filer or a member of the filer's immediate family is associated;
(8) if a public official, public member, or public employee receives compensation from an individual or business which contracts with the governmental entity with which the public official, public member, or public employee serves or is employed, the public official, public member, or public employee must report the name and address of that individual or business and the amount of compensation paid to the public official, public member, or public employee by that individual or business;
(9) the source and a brief description of any gifts, including transportation, lodging, food, or entertainment received during the preceding calendar year from:
(a) a person, if there is reason to believe the donor would not give the gift, gratuity, or favor but for the official's or employee's office or position; or
(b) a person, or from an officer or director of a person, if the public official or public employee has reason to believe the person:
(i) has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationship with the official's or employee's agency; or
(ii) conducts operations or activities which are regulated by the official's or employee's agency if the value of the gift is twenty-five dollars or more in a day or if the value totals, in the aggregate, two hundred dollars or more in a calendar year.
(10) a listing of the private source and type of any income received in the previous year by the filer or a member of his immediate family. This item does not include income received pursuant to:
(a) a court order;
(b) a savings, checking, or brokerage account with a bank, savings and loan, or other licensed financial institution which offers savings, checking, or brokerage accounts in the ordinary course of its business and on terms and interest rates generally available to a member of the general public without regard to status as a public official, public member, or public employee;
(c) a mutual fund or similar fund in which an investment company invests its shareholders' money in a diversified selection of securities.
(B) This article does not require the disclosure of economic interests information concerning:
(1) a spouse separated pursuant to a court order from the public official, public member, or public employee;
(2) a former spouse;
(3) a campaign contribution that is permitted and reported under Article 13 of this chapter; or
(4) matters determined to require confidentiality pursuant to Section 2-17-90(E).
(C) For purposes of this section, income means anything of value received, which must be reported on a form used by the Internal Revenue Service for the reporting or disclosure of income received by an individual or a business. Income does not include retirement, annuity, pension, IRA, disability, or deferred compensation payments received by the filer or filer's immediate family member.
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, Sections 28, 29, 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; 2016 Act No. 283 (H.3186), Sections 1, 2, eff January 1, 2017.

Structure South Carolina Code of Laws

South Carolina Code of Laws

Title 8 - Public Officers and Employees

Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, And Campaign Reform

Section 8-13-100. Definitions.

Section 8-13-120. Fee for education and training programs.

Section 8-13-130. Levying enforcement or administrative fees on persons in violation; use of fees and costs.

Section 8-13-140. Retention of funds derived from additional assessments associated with late filing fees.

Section 8-13-150. Carrying forward unexpended lobbyists and lobbyist's principals registration fees.

Section 8-13-310. State Ethics Commission reconstituted; appointment of members; terms of office; officers; quorum requirements; meetings; per diem, mileage, and subsistence for members; removal.

Section 8-13-320. Duties and powers of State Ethics Commission.

Section 8-13-322. Prohibited contacts during pendency of investigation or open complaint.

Section 8-13-325. Commission to retain fees.

Section 8-13-330. Executive director of commission; restrictions on political activities of members, employees and staff of commission.

Section 8-13-340. Annual report of commission.

Section 8-13-350. Ethics brochure to be provided to public officials, members, and employees.

Section 8-13-360. Statements and reports filed with commission open for public inspection and copying.

Section 8-13-365. Electronic filing system for disclosures and reports; public accessibility.

Section 8-13-510. Creation of ethics committees; committee membership; terms; filling vacancies.

Section 8-13-520. Duty to recommend changes in ethics laws and rules.

Section 8-13-530. Additional powers and duties of committee.

Section 8-13-535. Issuance of ethics advisory opinions.

Section 8-13-540. Manner in which investigations and hearings are conducted; findings and reports of committees.

Section 8-13-550. Consideration of report of committee by House or Senate; action; public record.

Section 8-13-560. Suspension of House or Senate member under indictment for particular crime; removal upon conviction; reinstatement upon acquittal.

Section 8-13-700. Use of official position or office for financial gain; disclosure of potential conflict of interest.

Section 8-13-705. Offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving anything of value to influence action of public employee, member or official, or to influence testimony of witness; exceptions; penalty for violation.

Section 8-13-710. Reporting of particular gifts received by public employee, official, or member on statement of economic interests.

Section 8-13-715. Speaking engagements of public officials, members or employees; only expense reimbursement permitted; authorization for reimbursement of out-of-state expenses.

Section 8-13-720. Offering, soliciting, or receiving money for advice or assistance of public official, member, or employee.

Section 8-13-725. Use or disclosure of confidential information by public official, member, or employee for financial gain; examination of private records; penalties.

Section 8-13-730. Membership on or employment by regulatory agency of person associated with regulated business.

Section 8-13-735. Participation in decision affecting personal economic interests by one employed by and serving on governing body of governmental entity.

Section 8-13-740. Representation of another by a public official, member, or employee before a governmental entity.

Section 8-13-745. Paid representation of clients and contracting by member of General Assembly or associate in particular situations.

Section 8-13-750. Employment, promotion, advancement, or discipline of family member of public official, member, or employee.

Section 8-13-755. Restrictions on former public official, member, or employee serving as lobbyist or accepting employment in field of former service.

Section 8-13-760. Employment by government contractor of former public official, member, or employee who was engaged in procurement.

Section 8-13-765. Use of government personnel or facilities for campaign purposes; government personnel permitted to work on campaigns on own time.

Section 8-13-770. Members of General Assembly prohibited from serving on state boards and commissions; exceptions.

Section 8-13-775. Public official, member, or employee with official function related to contracts not permitted to have economic interest in contracts.

Section 8-13-780. Remedies for breaches of ethical standards by public officials, members, or employees.

Section 8-13-785. Communication by elected official with state board or commission on behalf of constituent.

Section 8-13-790. Recovery of amounts received by official or employee in breach of ethical standards; recovery of kickbacks.

Section 8-13-795. Receipt of award, grant, or scholarship by public official or family member.

Section 8-13-910. Candidates elected or consented to by General Assembly to file statements of economic interests; authority with whom to file.

Section 8-13-920. Report of campaign expenditures.

Section 8-13-930. Seeking or offering pledges of votes for candidates.

Section 8-13-935. Public Service Commission election requirements; violations and penalties.

Section 8-13-1110. Persons required to file statement of economic interests.

Section 8-13-1120. Contents of statement of economic interests.

Section 8-13-1125. Exception to reporting requirement for events to which entire legislative body invited.

Section 8-13-1127. Legislative invitations committees to keep records of invitations accepted; public inspection.

Section 8-13-1130. Report on names of, and purchases by, lobbyists.

Section 8-13-1140. Filing of updated statement.

Section 8-13-1150. Filing of statement by certain consultants.

Section 8-13-1160. Forwarding of copies of statement to State Ethics Commission and filing person's county of residence.

Section 8-13-1170. Technical violations of disclosure requirements; extensions of time for filing statements.

Section 8-13-1180. Soliciting of contributions by elective official or agent from employees; favoritism by public official or employee towards employees making contributions.

Section 8-13-1300. Definitions.

Section 8-13-1301. Joint candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor considered a single candidate.

Section 8-13-1302. Maintenance of records of contributions, contributors, and expenditures.

Section 8-13-1304. Committees receiving and spending funds to influence elections required to file statement of organization.

Section 8-13-1306. Contents of statement of organization.

Section 8-13-1308. Filing of certified campaign reports by candidates and committees.

Section 8-13-1309. Certified campaign reports; filing; contents.

Section 8-13-1310. Recipients of certified campaign reports and copies thereof; State Ethics Commission review.

Section 8-13-1312. Campaign bank accounts.

Section 8-13-1314. Campaign contribution limits and restrictions.

Section 8-13-1316. Restrictions on campaign contributions received from political parties; exception for multi-candidate promotions.

Section 8-13-1318. Acceptance of contributions to retire campaign debt; limits; reporting requirements.

Section 8-13-1320. Contributions within specified period after primary, special, or general election attributed to that primary or election.

Section 8-13-1322. Dollar limits on contributions to committees.

Section 8-13-1324. Anonymous campaign contributions.

Section 8-13-1326. Loans to candidates considered contributions; limitations; exceptions.

Section 8-13-1328. Limits on repayment of loans from candidate or family members to campaign.

Section 8-13-1330. Contributions by spouses or parent and child.

Section 8-13-1331. Solicitation of contributions by corporations from shareholders, executive personnel, and certain related corporate entities.

Section 8-13-1332. Unlawful contributions and expenditures.

Section 8-13-1333. Soliciting contributions from the general public.

Section 8-13-1334. Certain solicitation of contributions by corporations and organizations from employees not unlawful.

Section 8-13-1336. Accepting or soliciting contributions on State Capitol grounds or in official residence prohibited; exception for contributions by mail.

Section 8-13-1338. Persons prohibited from soliciting contributions.

Section 8-13-1340. Restrictions on contributions by one candidate to another; committees established, financed, maintained, or controlled by a candidate.

Section 8-13-1342. Restrictions on contributions by contractor to candidate who participated in awarding of contract.

Section 8-13-1344. Contributions by public utilities; seeking endorsement in return for contribution; discrimination by employers based on contributions; reimbursement for contributions.

Section 8-13-1346. Use of public funds, property, or time to influence election prohibited; exceptions.

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.

Section 8-13-1350. Prohibition of use of funds for campaign for one office to further candidacy of same person for different office.

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.

Section 8-13-1354. Identification of person independently paying for election-related communication; exemptions.

Section 8-13-1356. Economic interests statements, filing deadlines for particular candidates.

Section 8-13-1358. Format of certified campaign reports.

Section 8-13-1360. Contribution and expenditure reporting form; contents.

Section 8-13-1362. Filing of statement of inactivity by candidate or committee having no contributions or expenditures to report.

Section 8-13-1364. Sending of notice of obligation to report and forms.

Section 8-13-1366. Public availability of certified campaign reports.

Section 8-13-1368. Termination of campaign filing requirements; dissolution of committees; final report.

Section 8-13-1370. Use of unexpended contributions by candidate after election; distribution of unexpended funds of committee.

Section 8-13-1371. Use of contributions for unintended purposes by ballot measure committee; written authorization; distribution of seized funds.

Section 8-13-1372. Technical violations of rules on campaign reports.

Section 8-13-1373. Fiscal Accountability Authority to defend State after refusal by Attorney General; selection of counsel; management of litigation.

Section 8-13-1374. Richland County designated as site of failure to file.

Section 8-13-1510. Civil and criminal penalties for late filing of or failure to file report or statement required by this chapter.

Section 8-13-1520. Violation of chapter constitutes misdemeanor; violation not necessarily ethical infraction.