Category: Reform

 H. 3195 seems to ban using campaign funds to pay fines, fees, or other charges as a result of a criminal charges. The prohibition, however, would only apply once an elected…

H.3187  aims to rectify a constitutional issue in South Carolina’s code. Due to a 2010 court ruling which found South Carolina’s definition of “ committee” unconstitutional, the state is without a legal definition on…

 H.3176 would prohibit legislators and the governor from soliciting or accepting contributions any time the General Assembly is in session. There would still, however, be no limitations on the uses of…

H.3186 would require lawmakers to disclose their private income sources and require more disclosure on their Statement of Economic Interests (SEI). Unfortunately, the bill fails to require the reporting of all…

H.3123 would amend the state constitution to allow Supreme Court, Appellate Court, and Circuit Court justices to be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the General Assembly –…

H.3237  proposes an amendment that would require all state or local public officials elected to office after July 1, 2015 to undergo specific ethics training in accordance with the guidelines…

S.242 is an attempt to reform the judicial screening process by changing the membership of the screening body, the Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC). The JMSC is tasked with nominating…

H.3198 would amend state law by clarifying that a public official with an economic conflict of interest over a public matter must recuse himself anytime the matter comes before a…

H.3228 would prohibit any “state agency, instrumentality, or department”, from expending public funds to contract with a lobbyist. This prohibition would help to prevent the astronomically wasteful practice of an…

H.3196 would amend the law requiring General Assembly members abstain from votes on governmental decisions in which they, their family, or individual with whom they are associated have an economic…

H.3194 turns another negative provision from last session’s omnibus ethics legislation into its own bill. H.3194 would add additional protection to incumbents by broadening the definition of “candidate” to include…

H.3192 is a response to a recent State Supreme Court decision stating that public bodies need not post an agenda prior to meeting. This legislation would require all public bodies to post an…

H.3191 is another attempt to strengthen FOIA by creating the Office of FOIA Review, which would be headed up by the Chief Judge of the Administrative Law Court and will…

 At first glance H.3190 seems to narrow the near-total exemption legislators currently enjoy from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), but on closer inspection it’s not clear that this exception is…

 H.3189 turns one of the worst provisions of last session’s atrocious “ethics” bill into a piece of stand-alone legislation. H.3189 would require individuals making an independent expenditure in excess of five…

S.124 would prohibit a Senator, an individual with whom he is professionally associated, a law firm which he is a partner in, or a law firm which he is otherwise…

H.3049 is a reintroduction of least session’s H.4875. Like the bill introduced last may H.3049 would require the Department of Revenue to complete a study every four years to assess…

S.104 would extend the prohibition on former legislators holding judicial office from one to twenty years after they leave legislative office. This reform is made vital in South Carolina due…

H.3171 would require all candidates for public office receive written approval from the appropriate supervisory office for any reimbursement to themselves from their campaign account for more than $500. Once…

H.3174 would remove references in the state code to the legislative ethics committees and their powers. The bill would also delete sections of law that exempt legislators from the oversight…

H.3077 is an attempt to delete newly added language to the House Rules which prohibits House members from establishing leadership PACs. Leadership PACs allow public officials to fundraise outside their…

S.264 would amend the Senate rules to allow any bill or resolution that has 27 or more cosponsors to be placed on the Senate calendar without reference, i.e. to skip the…

S.263 would amend the Senate rules to require that any Senator making an earmark request in any budget bill do so through a form designed by the Senate Finance Committee.…

S.247 would require the Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) to submit to the full General Assembly the names of all candidates it finds qualified for judicial seats. Currently the JMSC…

S.200 would eliminate language in the state code which currently allows legislators to operate leadership PACs (political action committees). Leadership PACs are PACs that are “directly or indirectly established, financed,…

S. 134 – Incentive Transparency This bill would be a significant step toward ending the state’s secret incentives dealings. In line with a series of reforms recommended by the Policy…

S. 123 – Shorten session and implement Biennial budget This bill would shorten the legislative session so that in even-numbered years the General Assembly would adjourn the second Thursday in…

S. 111 and S. 112 – Governor appoints judges with advice and consent of Senate In 2012 the Policy Council launched an 8-point reform agenda aimed at making South Carolina…

S.1, S.14, S.74, S.202, and H.3184 are all omnibus ethics bills that contain some of the negative provisions from last session’s failed horrendous omnibus “ethics” bill. Several of the negative…

 Occupational License Fees must be approved by the Legislature S.107 would prohibit executive boards from unilaterally imposing occupational licensing fees. Instead occupational licensing fees would be recommend by the appropriate…