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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 8-27-45 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PUBLIC BODY MUST MAKE A SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 27, TITLE 8 AVAILABLE ON ITS INTERNET WEBSITE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, OR TO PROVIDE A WRITTEN SUMMARY OF THIS CHAPTER TO ITS EMPLOYEES IF IT DOES NOT MAINTAIN AN INTERNET WEBSITE; TO AMEND SECTION 8-27-10, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE DEFINITION OF A REPORT FOR THE PURPOSES OF EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION FOR REPORTS OF VIOLATIONS OF STATE OR FEDERAL LAW OR REGULATION, SO AS TO FURTHER DEFINE WHAT CONSTITUTES A REPORT INCLUDING A PROVISION THAT A REPORT MAY BE A WRITTEN OR ORAL ALLEGATION OR TESTIMONY TO A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, AND TO REVISE THE TIME PERIOD WITHIN WHICH A REPORT MUST BE MADE.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 27, Title 8 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 8-27-45. A public body must make a summary of this chapter available on its Internet website. This summary must include an explanation of the process required to report wrongdoing, an explanation of what constitutes wrongdoing, and a description of the protections available to an employee who reports wrongdoing. If the public body does not maintain an Internet website, the public body annually must provide a written summary of this chapter to its employees and maintain copies of the summary at all times."
SECTION 2. Section 8-27-10(4) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 164 of 1993, is amended to read:
"(4) 'Report' means:
(a) a written document alleging or oral allegation of waste or wrongdoing that contains the following information:
(ai) the date of disclosure;
(bii) the name of the employee making the report; and
(ciii) the nature of the wrongdoing and the date or range of dates on which the wrongdoing allegedly occurred. A report must be made within sixty one hundred eighty days of the date the reporting employee first learns of the alleged wrongdoing; or
(b) sworn testimony regarding wrongdoing, regardless of when the wrongdoing allegedly occurred, given to any standing committee, subcommittee of a standing committee, or study committee of the Senate or the House of Representatives."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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