A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 7-13-353 SO AS TO REQUIRE A DECLARATION BY A CANDIDATE OF FINES OWED TO THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION, SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE, OR HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE, AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT A CANDIDATE MAY NOT BE PLACED ON A BALLOT UNLESS THE CANDIDATE IS ENROLLED IN A PAYMENT PLAN FOR THE OUTSTANDING FINES AND IS NOT IN DEFAULT; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ONE TIME REDUCTION OF OUTSTANDING FINE BALANCES OVER FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BE REDUCED TO FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

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

SECTION 1.  Chapter 13, Title 7 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

    Section 7-13-353.  (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each statement of candidacy must provide a declaration by a candidate on the amount of fines owed, if any, to the State Ethics Commission, Senate Ethics Committee, or House Ethics Committee as of the date of submission of the statement.

    (B) A candidate who declares fines owed to the State Ethics Commission, Senate Ethics Committee, or House Ethics Committee may not be placed on a ballot unless the candidate encloses with his statement of candidacy a document from the commission, committee, or committees in which a fine is owed, dated less than thirty days from submission of the statement, that provides the candidate is enrolled in a payment plan and is not in default.

SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Ethics Commission must provide a one-time reduction of the outstanding balance of any debtor who owes more than five thousand dollars for the failure to file disclosures of economic interests or campaign disclosures to five thousand dollars.

SECTION 3.  SECTION 1 of this act takes effect on January 1, 2025, SECTION 2 of this act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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