South Carolina H 3554: Campaign Contribution Limits

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3554 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3554

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH 
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 8-13-1314, RELATING TO CAMPAIGN 
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS AND RESTRICTIONS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE INDIVIDUAL CAMPAIGN 
CONTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR STATEWIDE CANDIDATES, STATEWIDE CANDIDATES ELECTED 
JOINTLY, AND CANDIDATES FOR OTHER THAN STATEWIDE OFFICE; AND BY AMENDING 
SECTION 8-13-1316, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED 
FROM POLITICAL PARTIES, SO AS TO INCREASE CONTRIBUTION LIMITS THAT A CANDIDATE 
FOR OTHER THAN STATEWIDE OFFICE MAY RECEIVE FROM A POLITICAL PARTY THROUGH ITS 
PARTY COMMITTEES OR LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS COMMITTEES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 8-13-1314 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
8-13-1314. (A) Within an election 
cycle, a candidate or anyone acting on his behalf shall not solicit or accept, 
and a person shall not give or offer to give to a candidate or person acting on 
the candidate's behalf:

 (1) 
a contribution which exceeds:

 (a) three thousand five hundred seven 
thousand dollars in the case of a candidate for statewide office; or

 (b) three thousand five hundred seven 
thousand dollars in the aggregate for statewide candidates elected 
jointly pursuant to Section 8, Article IV of the South Carolina Constitution, 
1895; or

 (c) one two thousand dollars in 
the case of a candidate for any other office;

 (2) 
a cash contribution from an individual unless the cash contribution does not 
exceed twenty-five dollars and is accompanied by a record of the amount of the 
contribution and the name and address of the contributor;

 (3) 
a contribution from, whether directly or indirectly, a registered lobbyist if 
that lobbyist engages in lobbying the public office or public body for which 
the candidate is seeking election;

 (4) 
contributions for two elective offices simultaneously, except as provided in 
Section 8-13-1318.

 (B) 
The restrictions on contributions in subsection (A)(1) and (2) do not apply to 
a candidate making a contribution to his own campaign.

SECTION 2. Section 8-13-1316 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
8-13-1316. (A) Notwithstanding 
Section 8-13-1314(A)(1), within an election cycle, a candidate may not accept 
or receive contributions from a political party through its party committees or 
legislative caucus committees, and a political party through its party committees 
or legislative caucus committees may not give to a candidate contributions 
which total in the aggregate more than:

 (1) 
fifty thousand dollars in the case of a candidate for statewide office; or

 (2) five ten thousand dollars in 
the case of a candidate for any other office.

 (B) 
The recipient of a contribution given in violation of subsection (A) may not 
keep the contribution, but within seven days must remit the contribution to the 
Children's Trust Fund.

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

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This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 12:39 PM