S 1272 General Bill, By Leventis, Land, McGill, Setzler and Wilson
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 8-13-1355 so as to require that on the next regular working day of the State
 Election Commission after a poll is initiated by a person, candidate, or
 committee, the text of questions to be asked along with the name of the poll's
 sponsor must be on file with the Commission, to provide an exception and the
 covered period and applicability to primaries and run-off elections.

   03/20/96  Senate Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference SJ-10
   03/26/96  Senate Read second time SJ-43
   03/26/96  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-43
   04/02/96  Senate Amended SJ-22
   04/02/96  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-22
   04/03/96  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-7
   04/03/96  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-7

April 2, 1996

S. 1272

Introduced by SENATORS Leventis, Land, Wilson, McGill and Setzler

S. Printed 4/2/96--S.

Read the first time March 20, 1996.

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 8-13-1355 SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT ON THE NEXT REGULAR WORKING DAY OF THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION AFTER A POLL IS INITIATED BY A PERSON, CANDIDATE, OR COMMITTEE, THE TEXT OF QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED ALONG WITH THE NAME OF THE POLL'S SPONSOR MUST BE ON FILE WITH THE COMMISSION, TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION AND THE COVERED PERIOD AND APPLICABILITY TO PRIMARIES AND RUN-OFF ELECTIONS.

Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 8-13-1355. (A) For purposes of this section:

(1) `initiated' means the beginning of the conduct of the first and any subsequent poll; and

(2) `poll' means the solicitation of opinions, of answers to questions posed to the public, or of the confirmation or denial of facts pertaining to or statements made regarding any candidate in any election as defined in this article.

(B) The provisions of this section apply to polls conducted at any time during the period beginning six months prior to the general election.

(C) The text of a poll and the name of the person or persons who conducted and/or who authorized, donated, or paid for and/or sponsored the poll must be filed with the State Election Commission on the next regular working day of the commission after the poll is initiated. However, if the poll is initiated seven days or less before the election, the text of the poll and the name of the person or persons who conducted and/or who authorized, donated, or paid for and/or sponsored the poll must be filed with the commission before the poll is initiated."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.