S.C. Code Ann. § 8-13-705
(A) A person may not, directly or indirectly, give, offer, or promise anything of value to a public official, public member, or public employee with the intent to:
(B) A public official, public member, or public employee may not, directly or indirectly, knowingly ask, demand, exact, solicit, seek, accept, assign, receive, or agree to receive anything of value for himself or for another person in return for being:
(C) A person may not, directly or indirectly, give, offer, or promise to give anything of value to another person with intent to influence testimony under oath or affirmation in a trial or other proceeding before:
(D) A person may not, directly or indirectly, ask, demand, exact, solicit, seek, accept, assign, receive, or agree to receive anything of value in return for influencing testimony under oath or affirmation in a trial or other proceeding before:
(G) This section does not apply to political contributions unless the contributions are conditioned upon the performance of specific actions of the person accepting the contributions nor does it prohibit a parent, grandparent, or other close relative from making a gift to a child, grandchild, or other close relative for love and affection except as otherwise provided.
ETHICS COMMISSION OPINIONS
Travel expenses for review team to travel to view a manufacturing facility may be paid by vendors only if required in RFP and provided that such expenses are in accordance with state travel policies and regulations; there does not appear to be any undue influence which could be generated through requirement for all potential vendors to provide travel costs involved. Op S. C. St Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-046, Jan 27, 1992.
Employees of state Forestry Commission may receive travel and training provided by federal government, sister states, or national association, provided such expenses incurred by employees participating in meetings are in accordance with state travel reimbursement policies. Op S. C. St Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-058, Jan 27, 1992.
In light of the fact that business firms which are asked to help defray costs of event may be doing business with or seek to do business with agency or organization involved, Commission suggests following guidelines for any such solicitation: (1) solicitation be done either by separate foundation and/or by employees not directly involved in agency activities regarding such businesses; (2) all interested potential sponsors be given an opportunity to contribute; (3) contribution be made to separate fund or account, with no industry source supporting any particular activity or event; and (4) such industry source may be identified as conference supporter or sponsor on conference programs, billboards, etc. with no amounts being shown to participants. Op S. C. St Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-061, Feb 26, 1992.
State agencies may contract with other agencies to reimburse agency for travel and/or lodging costs associated with providing services. (2) State employees may not receive honoraria for giving speech. (3) State employees who serve on national councils or task forces may have travel expenses paid by such organizations. Payment of expenses for providing speeches or service to other organizations should be reimbursed to employee's agency for reimbursement through it to employee. (4) employees attending meal or hospitality functions at conferences sponsored by vendors would not be prohibited from accepting such hospitality if it is provided to all conference participants. (5) meals provided by vendors at vendor-sponsored shows would not be prohibited, unless given to influence. Op S. C. St Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-061, Feb 26, 1992.
It is inappropriate for public employee, Highway Department Engineering Technician, to be accepting compensation from applicant for encroachment permit which employee would be responsible for inspecting. Consequently employee advised not to engage in such off-duty work with developers or contractors, for which he would be paid, whose work he is responsible for inspecting in course of his responsibilities. Op S. C. St Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-066, Feb 26, 1992.
Where in past Association had accepted contributions from vendors in support of conferences to include company-sponsored breaks, luncheons or dinners, reduction of general conference expenses, or for booth space to display products and/or services, although Commission does not believe that solicitations such as described above are ipsa facto violations of Section 8-13-705, following guidelines are suggested: (1) solicitation be done either by separate foundation and/or employees who are not directly involved in agency activities regarding such businesses which are being solicited; (2) all interest potential sponsors be given opportunity to contribute; (3) contribution be made to separate fund or account, with no industry source supporting any particular activity or event; and (4) such industry source may be identified as conference supporter or sponsor on conference programs, billboards, etc., with no amounts being shown to participants. Op S.C. St. Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-172, May 27, 1992.
Vendors may assist in sponsorship of conference by contributing to general conference support fund without supporting any particular event. Vendors may pay fees for a booth space with such fees being utilized for general conference support. Op S.C. St. Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-172, May 27, 1992.
Travel expenses for librarians to travel to book distribution warehouse may be reimbursed to librarian's agency by vendor. Larger discount may be provided to agency without violating Ethics Reform Act. Based on facts in particular case it does not appear that purchase of such books is accomplished through RFP since purchases are made directly while at warehouse. Commission had advised against one-party payment of travel expenses, particularly in sole source-type procurement, therefore, Commission advises against direct payment to individuals of travel expenses for personnel to visit warehouse. Company's extending of additional percentage discount to public entity on purchased books achieves cost saving to agency without jeopardizing ethical integrity of library personnel in accepting of value from vendor. Op S.C. St. Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-197, May 27, 1992.
County officials who receive anything of value from lobbyist principal are required to disclose such transaction on Statement of Economic Interests. Anything of value given by donor who would not have given it but for the recipient's public position, or who is regulated by or who seeks contractual arrangement with recipient's agency, is required to disclose such on Statement of Economic Interests. Whether particular thing of value is given to influence official action must be determined on case-by-case analysis. Op S. C. St Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-092-031, Dec 18, 1991.
The Ethics Reform Act does not prohibit local businesses from establishing committee to solicit contributions from the private sector with which to purchase bulletproof vests and other equipment for Richland County Sheriff's Department. Op. S.C. St. Ethics Comm., SEC AO94-001, July 21, 1993.
Textbook publishing company may furnish books and other teaching materials for trial use in classroom setting, provided the donation is not intended to influence public official's, public member's, or public employee's official responsibilities. Rather than serving as actual members of textbook adoption committees, teachers who have used publisher-donated texts should appear before these committees to present their findings and recommendations. Section 8-13-720 prohibits publishing companies from compensating those teachers who utilize donated texts and related materials for trial use in their classrooms. Op. S.C. St. Ethics Comm., SEC AO94-014, January 19, 1994.