A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 2-17-15, RELATING TO PROHIBITIONS ON PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS FROM SERVING AS LOBBYISTS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE WAITING PERIOD FOR ELIGIBILITY FROM ONE YEaR TO TWO YEARS, AND TO PROVIDE SUCH ELECTED OFFICIALS MUST HAVE SERVED THE FULL TERM TO WHICH THEY WERE LAST ELECTED BEFORE THEY OR THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS MAY SERVE AS LOBBYISTS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 2-19-70, RELATING TO PROHIBITIONS ON MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM ELECTION TO JUDICIAL OFFICE, SO AS TO INCREASE THE WAITING PERIOD FOR ELIGIBILITY FROM ONE YEAR TO TWO YEARS, AND TO PROVIDE THEY MUST HAVE SERVED THE FULL TERM TO WHICH THEY WERE LAST ELECTED BEFORE THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR ELECTION TO JUDICIAL OFFICE.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Section 2-17-15 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    Section 2-17-15. (A) The Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, any other statewide constitutional officer, a member of the General Assembly, a director or deputy director of a state department appointed by the Governor and a member of the immediate family of any of these public officials may not serve as a lobbyist during the time the official holds office and for one year two years after such public service ends; provided, however, that the public official also must have completed the full term to which he was last elected or appointed before he or his immediate family member may serve as a lobbyist.

    (B) The provisions of this section apply to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, or any other statewide constitutional officer who is elected after December 31, 19932022, or any member of the General Assembly who is elected after December 31, 19912024, and any director or deputy director of a state department appointed after June 30, 19932024.

 

SECTION 2.  Section 2-19-70(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    (A) No member of the General Assembly may be elected to a judicial office while he is serving in the General Assembly nor shall that person be elected to a judicial office unless the member has served the full term to which he was last elected and for a period of one yeartwo years after he either:

       (1) ceases to be a member of the General Assembly;  or

       (2) fails to file for election to the General Assembly in accordance with Section 7-11-15this term ends.

 

SECTION 3.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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