South Carolina S 960: Campaign Practices

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 960 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 26, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 960

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 8-13-1300, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS, 
SO AS TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS FOR "ELECTION COMMUNICATION" AND "INDEPENDENT 
EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE"; AND BY ADDING SECTION 8-13-1375 SO AS TO ESTABLISH 
DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTION COMMUNICATIONS BY INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE 
COMMITTEES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 8-13-1300 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 (35) "Election communication" means 
the following forms of communication to support or oppose a clearly identified 
candidate or ballot measure, or to influence the outcome of an election:

 (a) 
a paid advertisement broadcast over radio, television, cable, or satellite;

 (b) 
a paid placement of content on the internet or another electronic communication 
network;

 (c) 
a paid advertisement published in a newspaper, in a periodical, or on a 
billboard; or

 (d) 
a mailing or other printed materials.

 (36) 
"Independent expenditure committee" means two or more individuals, or a person 
other than an individual who is not organized or operating for the primary 
purpose of supporting or opposing candidates or ballot measures or influencing 
the outcome of an election, who engage in election communications in excess of 
five hundred dollars during an election cycle.

SECTION 2. Article 13, Chapter 13, Title 8 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
8-13-1375. (A) An independent 
expenditure committee must disclose the following information concerning 
contributions to the independent expenditure committee related to election 
communications:

 (1) 
the full name, mailing address, occupation, and employer, if any, of each 
person who has made aggregate contributions during the reporting period of one 
thousand dollars or more;

 (2) 
the aggregate amount of the contributions for all reporting periods for each 
person identified in item (1);

 (3) 
each loan received from a person during the reporting period, together with the 
name, mailing address, occupation, and employer, if any, of the lender and 
endorser, if any, and the date and amount of each loan;

 (4) 
an account of proceeds that total one thousand dollars or more per person made 
at fundraising events sponsored by the independent expenditure committee; and

 (5) 
the total sum of contributions received or designated for the independent 
expenditure committee during the reporting period.

 (B) An 
independent expenditure committee must disclose the following information 
concerning expenditures related to election communications:

 (1) 
the full name, mailing address, occupation, and principal place of business, if 
any, of each person to whom expenditures have been made during the reporting 
period, including the amount, date, and purpose of each expenditure and the 
total amount of expenditures made to each person;

 (2) 
the full name, mailing address, occupation, and principal place of business, if 
any, of each person to whom expenditures for personal services, salaries, or 
reimbursed expenses have been made during the reporting period, including the 
amount, date, and purpose of each expenditure and the total amount of 
expenditures made to each person;

 (3) 
the total sum of expenditures made during the reporting period;

 (4) 
the name and address of each political committee or candidate to which the 
independent expenditure committee made any transfer of funds, together with the 
amount and dates of all transfers;

 (5) 
the name of any person to whom a loan was made during the reporting period, 
including the full name, mailing address, occupation, and principal place of 
business, if any, of that person and the full names, mailing addresses, 
occupations, and principal places of business, if any, of the endorsers, if 
any, and the date and amount of each loan;

 (6) 
the amount and nature of debts and obligations owed by the independent 
expenditure committee; and

 (7) 
any other information required by the State Ethics Commission necessary to 
fully disclose the disposition of funds used to make expenditures as provided 
by regulation.

 (C) Independent 
expenditure committee election communications as provided in Section 
8-13-1300(35)(b),(c), and (d) must contain the independent expenditure 
committee's name and address in a legible, conspicuous location, and election 
communications as provided in Section 8-13-1300(35)(a) must contain the name of 
the independent expenditure committee clearly spoken so as to accurately 
identify the independent expenditure committee and its address.

 (D) An 
independent expenditure committe