South Carolina § 8-13-130 - Levying enforcement or administrative fees on persons in violation; use of fees and costs.

§ 8-13-130. Levying enforcement or administrative fees on persons in violation; use of fees and costs.

The State Ethics Commission, Senate Ethics Committee, and House of Representatives Ethics Committee may levy an enforcement or administrative fee on a person who is found in violation, or who admits to a violation, pursuant to Title 2 or Title 8. The fee must be used to reimburse the commission, the appropriate legislative Ethics Committee, or combination thereof, for costs associated with the investigation and hearing of a violation. The costs associated include:

(1) the investigator's time;

(2) mileage, meals, and lodging;

(3) the prosecutor's time;

(4) the hearing panel's travel, per diem, and meals;

(5) administrative time;

(6) subpoena costs to include witness fees and mileage; and

(7) miscellaneous costs such as postage and supplies.

These fees and costs are in addition to any fines as otherwise provided by law.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 353, SECTION 2, Pt 22B, eff July 1, 2009; 2016 Act No. 282 (H.3184), SECTION 1, eff April 1, 2017.

Editor's Note

2016 Act No. 282, SECTION 17, provides as follows:

"SECTION 17. The provisions of this act are effective as of April 1, 2017 and shall apply to complaints filed on or after April 1, 2017. However, the provisions in Section 8-13-310 regarding the selection of the initial members to serve on the State Ethics Commission as of April 1, 2017, and the termination of terms of the members serving on the commission as of March 31, 2017, take effect after the date of the Governor's signature for the limited purpose of having the initial members of the reconstituted State Ethics Commission begin service on April 1, 2017. The State Ethics Commission, House Ethics Committee and Senate Ethics Committee shall maintain jurisdiction over all open complaints and investigations pending in the appropriate entity on or before March 31, 2017. The reconstituted State Ethics Commission shall have jurisdiction over open complaints and investigations pending within the State Ethics Commission as of March 31, 2017."