South Carolina General Assembly
112th Session, 1997-1998

Bill 4606


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       4606
Type of Legislation:               General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                  House
Introduced Date:                   19980211
Primary Sponsor:                   Townsend 
All Sponsors:                      Townsend 
Drafted Document Number:           pt\1685dw.98
Residing Body:                     House
Current Committee:                 Judiciary Committee 25 HJ
Subject:                           Elections, candidates,
                                   advertisement material with
                                   unfounded information; Ethics,
                                   Campaign practices, actual
                                   malice



History


Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

House   19980211  Introduced, read first time,             25 HJ
                  referred to Committee

View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 8-13-1540 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ANY ADVERTISEMENT MATERIAL OR PUBLICATION ON BEHALF OF A CANDIDATE BY AN ORGANIZATION NOT MEETING THE DEFINITION OF "COMMITTEE" UNDER SECTION 8-13-1300(6) IS SUBJECT TO THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS THE COMMITTEE AND PROVIDE THAT ACTUAL MALICE IS NOT PROVED IN A DEFAMATION ACTION BY A CANDIDATE AGAINST THIS ORGANIZATION FOR FALSE, ERRONEOUS, UNFOUNDED INFORMATION, OR ACCUSATIONS.

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

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 8-13-1540. (A) An organization not included within the definition of 'committee' under Section 8-13-1300(6) is subject to the same requirements of the committee when the organization endorses or aligns itself with a candidate.

(B) Actual malice is not an element of defamation action by a candidate against an organization that endorses or aligns itself with another candidate for false, erroneous, unfounded information, or accusations."

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

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