TO AMEND SECTION 2-17-20, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION OF LOBBYISTS AND SECTION 2-17-25, RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION OF LOBBYIST'S PRINCIPALS, BOTH SO AS TO INCREASE THE FILING FEE FOR REGISTRATION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 2-17-20(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(A) Any A person who acts as a lobbyist must, within fifteen days of being employed, appointed, or retained as a lobbyist, shall register with the State Ethics Commission as provided in this section. Each person registering must shall pay a fee of one two hundred dollars and present to the State Ethics Commission a communication reflecting the authority of the registrant to represent the person by whom he is employed, appointed, or retained. If a partnership, committee, association, corporation, labor organization, or any other organization or group of persons registers as a lobbyist, it must shall identify each person who will act as a lobbyist on its behalf during the covered period. There is no registration fee for a lobbyist who is a full-time employee of a state agency and limits his lobbying to efforts on behalf of that particular state agency."
SECTION 2. Section 2-17-25(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(A) Any A lobbyist's principal must, within fifteen days of employing, appointing, or retaining a lobbyist, shall register with the State Ethics Commission as provided in this section. Each person registering must shall pay a fee of one two hundred dollars. If a partnership, committee, an association, a corporation, labor organization, or any other organization or group of persons registers as a lobbyist's principal, it must shall identify each person who will act as a lobbyist on its behalf during the covered period. If the State is a lobbyist's principal, the State is exempt from paying a registration fee and filing a lobbyist's principal registration statement."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.