A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS by amending SECTION 8-13-1332, RELATING TO UNLAWFUL CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES, SO AS TO PROHIBIT MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OR CANDIDATES FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM SOLICITING OR ACCEPTING CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A UTILITY, COMPANY, CORPORATION, ENTITY, JOINT VENTURE, OR "PERSON", AS DEFINED IN SECTION 8-13-1300, WHO POSSESSES OR MAINTAINS AN EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO CONDUCT ITS BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE, OPERATIONS, OR ACTIVITIES STATEWIDE OR WITHIN A GEOGRAPHICALLY DEFINED AREA OR TERRITORY PURSUANT TO AN ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

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

SECTION 1.   Section 8-13-1332 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   Section 8-13-1332.   It is unlawful for a:

   (1) a committee or ballot measure committee to make a contribution or expenditure by using:

      (a) anything of value secured by physical force, job discrimination, financial reprisals, or threat of the same;

      (b) dues, fees, or other monies required as a condition of membership in a labor organization, or as a condition of employment; or

      (c) monies obtained by the committee or the ballot measure committee in a commercial transaction;

   (2) a person to solicit an employee for a contribution and fail to inform the employee of the political purposes of the committee or ballot measure committee and of the employee's right to refuse to contribute without any an advantage or promise of an advantage conditioned upon making the contribution or reprisal or threat of reprisal related to the failure to make the contribution;

   (3) a corporation or committee of a corporation to solicit contributions to the corporation or committee from a person other than its shareholders, directors, executive or administrative personnel, and their families, except as provided in Section 8-13-1333; or

   (4) member of the General Assembly or a candidate for the General Assembly to solicit or accept a campaign contribution from a utility, company, corporation, entity, joint venture, or "person", as defined in Section 8-13-1300(25), who possesses or maintains an exclusive right to conduct its business, enterprise, operations, or activities statewide or within a geographically defined area or territory pursuant to an act of the General Assembly.

SECTION 2.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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