S 0004 General Bill, By Courson
 A BILL TO AMEND ARTICLE 11, CHAPTER 13, TITLE 8, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
 CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO DISCLOSURE OF ECONOMIC INTEREST, SO AS TO PROVIDE
 THAT A PUBLIC OFFICIAL OR HIS AGENCY MAY NOT KNOWINGLY SOLICIT A CONTRIBUTION
 FOR THE PUBLIC OFFICIAL 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.

   01/14/97  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-86
   01/14/97  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-86

A BILL

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.