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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 1-30-12 SO AS TO REQUIRE A STATE AGENCY TO COMMUNICATE ITS RESOLUTION OF A COMPLAINT RECEIVED FROM A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO ITS GOVERNING BOARD AND THE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO MADE THE COMPLAINT, TO REQUIRE THE AGENCY MONTHLY TO PROVIDE STATUS UPDATES OF ITS INVESTIGATION TO ITS GOVERNING BOARD AND THE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO MADE THE COMPLAINT, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERTAIN FORMS A STATE AGENCY MUST USE TO FACILITATE THESE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 30, Title 1 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 1-30-12. (A) In order to promote public confidence in state government and to ensure adequate communications with members of the general public who express concerns to state agencies, a department of state government created in this chapter shall respond to a complaint it receives from a member of the general public by filing a Complaint Resolution Report with its director after the department considers a complaint satisfactorily resolved. The department monthly shall issue an Interim Status Report detailing the agency's progress in investigating the complaint if the department does not resolve the complaint within thirty days of receipt.
(B) A department shall develop a form for a Complaint Resolution Report and a form for a Complaint Status Report. At a minimum, a Complaint Resolution Report must clearly explain the nature of the complaint, steps taken to investigate the complaint, a summary of information gathered during the investigation, and action taken by the department to address the complaint. At a minimum, a Complaint Status Report must clearly explain the nature of the complaint and steps taken to investigate the complaint.
(C) Within twenty-four hours of filing a report made pursuant to this section, the department shall deliver a copy of the report to its governing board and either mail a copy of the report to the person who made the complaint at the department's expense or, at the option of the person who made the complaint, email a copy of the report to the person who made the complaint."
SECTION 2. The act takes effect on approval by the Governor.
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