A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 2-17-30, RELATING TO A LOBBYIST'S REPORT OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES, SO AS TO REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL REPORT WHEN A LOBBYIST HAS PERFORMED LOBBYING ACTIVITIES OR HAD OTHER WORK-RELATED CONTACT WITH A MEMBER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OR THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY STAFF; BY AMENDING SECTION 2-17-35, RELATING TO A LOBBYIST'S REPORT OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES, SO AS TO REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL REPORT WHEN A LOBBYIST ACTING ON BEHALF OF A LOBBYIST'S PRINCIPAL HAS PERFORMED LOBBYING ACTIVITIES OR HAD WORK-RELATED CONTACT WITH A MEMBER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OR THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY STAFF; BY AMENDING SECTION 8-13-700, RELATING TO USE OF OFFICIAL POSITION FOR FINANCIAL GAIN, SO AS TO PROHIBIT MEMBERS OR EMPLOYEES OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OR THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY STAFF FROM RECEIVING ANYTHING OF VALUE FROM A UTILITY, COMPANY, CORPORATION, ENTITY, JOINT VENTURE, OR PERSON WHOSE BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE, OPERATIONS, OR ACTIVITIES ARE REGULATED, WHETHER WHOLLY OR IN PART, BY A GOVERNMENTAL REGULATORY AGENCY PURSUANT TO TITLE 58; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 8-13-1332, RELATING TO UNLAWFUL CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES, SO AS TO PROHIBIT A UTILITY, COMPANY, CORPORATION, ENTITY, JOINT VENTURE, OR PERSON WHOSE BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE, OPERATIONS, OR ACTIVITIES ARE REGULATED, WHETHER WHOLLY OR IN PART, BY A GOVERNMENTAL REGULATORY AGENCY PURSUANT TO TITLE 58 FROM OFFERING, FACILITATING, OR PROVIDING A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION TO A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OR A CANDIDATE FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, OR A STATEWIDE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER OR A CANDIDATE FOR A STATEWIDE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE.
H3475 would tighten ethics and campaign-finance rules around South Carolina’s utility-regulation sector. It requires lobbyists and their principals to file an additional report with the State Ethics Commission when they lobby or have work-related contacts with members or employees of the Public Service Commission (PSC) or the Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS). These reports must be filed within 10 days of the contact, or sooner if the contact occurs within 10 days of a PSC meeting.
The bill also expands conflict-of-interest restrictions for PSC and ORS officials and employees by barring them from directly or indirectly asking for, accepting, or agreeing to receive anything of value from regulated utilities or other entities regulated under Title 58. In addition, it adds a new campaign-contribution prohibition making it unlawful for regulated utilities and similar entities to offer, facilitate, or provide campaign contributions to members of the General Assembly, legislative candidates, statewide constitutional officers, or candidates for those offices.
If enacted, H3475 would amend South Carolina’s ethics and election laws in Sections 2-17-30, 2-17-35, 8-13-700, and 8-13-1332 of the Code of Laws. It would create a new, expedited disclosure requirement for lobbying activity involving PSC and ORS officials, strengthen gift/thing-of-value restrictions for those regulatory personnel, and impose a direct ban on campaign contributions from regulated utilities and related entities to specified state candidates and officeholders. The practical effect would be to increase transparency and reduce financial influence in utility regulation and related political activity.
The bill’s structure suggests a strong anti-corruption and good-government purpose, with a clear emphasis on transparency and limiting utility influence over regulators and elected officials. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented debate or formal vote history to indicate broader legislative support or opposition. Based on the text alone, the measure appears designed to appeal to ethics-focused concerns rather than to create a policy change in utility regulation itself.
The most likely points of contention are the breadth of the restrictions and the entities covered. The bill applies not only to utilities but also to companies, corporations, entities, joint ventures, and other persons whose activities are regulated in whole or in part under Title 58, which could be viewed as sweeping. Potential opponents may argue that the campaign-contribution ban and gift restrictions are overly broad or could burden lawful political participation and routine professional interactions, while supporters would likely view those same provisions as necessary to prevent undue influence over PSC and ORS decision-making.