Current Status Bill Number:4 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19970114 Primary Sponsor:Courson All Sponsors:Courson Drafted Document Number:RES1181.JEC Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Judiciary Committee 11 SJ Subject:Economic interest statements, public officers, candidates; campaign contributions from person not U.S. citizen, Ethics
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
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Senate 19970114 Introduced, read first time, 11 SJ
referred to Committee
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TO AMEND ARTICLE 11, CHAPTER 13, TITLE 8, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO DISCLOSURE OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PUBLIC OFFICIAL OR HIS AGENT MAY NOT KNOWINGLY SOLICIT A CONTRIBUTION FOR THE PUBLIC OFFICIAL'S LEGAL DEFENSE FUND FROM A PERSON WHO IS NOT A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OR FROM A FOREIGN BUSINESS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 8-13-1314 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS AND RESTRICTIONS, TO PROVIDE THAT A CANDIDATE MAY NOT SOLICIT OR ACCEPT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A PERSON WHO IS NOT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN OR FROM A FOREIGN BUSINESS OR ITS AGENT, DEFINED AS A PARTNERSHIP, ASSOCIATION, CORPORATION, ORGANIZATION, OR OTHER COMBINATION OF PERSONS ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF OR HAVING ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, INCLUDING POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES FORMED BY A FOREIGN BUSINESS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 11, Chapter 13, Title 8 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 8-13-1190. A public official or his agent may not knowingly solicit a contribution for the public official's legal defense fund from a person who is not a citizen of the United States or from a foreign business or its agent, defined as a partnership, association, corporation, organization, or other combination of persons organized under the laws of or having its principal place of business in a foreign country, including political action committees formed by a foreign business."
SECTION 2. Section 8-13-1314(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 8-13-1314. (A) Within an election cycle, no candidate or anyone acting on his behalf may solicit or accept:
(1) a contribution which exceeds:
(a) three thousand five hundred dollars in the case of a candidate for statewide office; or
(b) 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 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. ;
(5) contributions from an individual who is not a citizen of the United States;
(6) contributions from a foreign business or its agent, defined as a partnership, association, corporation, organization, or other combination of persons organized under the laws of or having its principal place of business in a foreign country, including political action committees formed by a foreign business."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.