A former public official, former public member, or former public employee holding public office, membership, or employment on or after January 1, 1992, may not for a period of one year after terminating his public service or employment:

1. (1) serve as a lobbyist or represent clients before the agency or department on which he formerly served in a matter which he directly and substantially participated during his public service or employment; or

2. (2) accept employment if the employment:

   1. (a) is from a person who is regulated by the agency or department on which the former public official, former public member, or former public employee served or was employed; and

   2. (b) involves a matter in which the former public official, former public member, or former public employee directly and substantially participated during his public service or public employment.

      ETHICS COMMISSION OPINIONS

      1. In General

      Former employee is prohibited from obtaining employment for one year from contractor on contracts for which he was responsible for letting or supervising. Prohibition concerns any employee who was employed by public agency within South Carolina on or after January 1, 1992, and includes prohibition against serving as lobbyist before former agency or representing clients before that agency for a period of one year on matters on which employee directly and substantially participated. However, former employee would not be prohibited from being employed as consultant with firm over which he had no official responsibility. Op S.C. St. Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-101, Feb 26, 1992.

      Employee of regulatory agency who has no regulatory jurisdiction over federal installation would not be prohibited from accepting employment with that installation. Subsection (2) of Section 8-13-755 was intended to prohibit "revolving door" whereby regulatory leaves public service and begins work with regulated person on matters in which he has participated as regulator, but absent responsibilities on those specific matters, there would be no prohibition against such employment. Op S.C. St. Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-111, May 27, 1992.

      Public agency attorney is prohibited by Section 8-13-755(1) from representing clients before that agency for period of one year on any specific matter in which he was directly and substantially involved. Op S. C. St Ethics Comm., SEC AO92-008, Nov 20, 1991.