Article 1 General Provisions
Article 3 State Ethics Commission
Article 5 Senate and House of Representatives Ethics Committees
Article 7 Rules of Conduct
Article 9 Forms and Reports by Candidates for Election by the General Assembly
Article 11 Disclosure of Economic Interests
Article 13 Campaign Practices
Article 15 Penalties
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Terms Used In South Carolina Code > Title 8 > Chapter 13 - Ethics, Government Accountability, and Campaign Reform

  • Accumulated contributions: shall mean the member's aggregate contributions, together with regular interest thereon. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Acquittal:
    1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
    2. A verdict of "not guilty."
     
  • Active member: means an employee who is compensated by an employer participating in the system and who is making regular retirement contributions to the system. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Actuarial equivalent: shall mean a benefit of equal value when computed on the basis of the tables and regular interest rate last adopted by the Board, as provided in § 9-9-30. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Actuarial equivalent: means a benefit of equal value when computed upon the basis of mortality tables adopted by the board and regular interest. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Administrative Law Court: means the Administrative Law Court created pursuant to § 1-23-500. See South Carolina Code 9-21-20
  • Administrator: means the director of the retirement systems. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
  • Agency: means an authority, board, branch, commission, committee, department, division, or other instrumentality of the executive department of state government, including administrative bodies and bodies corporate and politic established as an instrumentality of the State. See South Carolina Code 1-6-10
  • Alternate payee: means a spouse or former spouse of a member or retired member who is recognized by a domestic relations order as having a right to receive all or a portion of the benefits payable by a retirement system with respect to such member or retired member. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Appropriate supervisory office: means :

    (a) the State Ethics Commission for all candidates for public office in this State except for members or staff, including staff elected to serve as officers of or candidates for the office of State Senator or State Representative;

    (b) the Senate Ethics Committee for members or staff, including staff elected to serve as officers, of or candidates for the office of State Senator, and the House of Representatives Ethics Committee for members or staff, including staff elected to serve as officers, of or candidates for the office of State Representative;

    (c) the State Ethics Commission for all committees, except legislative caucus committees, supporting or opposing a ballot measure or supporting or opposing a candidate;

    (d) the Senate Ethics Committee for all legislative caucus committees and legislative special interest caucuses affiliated with the Senate, the House of Representatives Ethics Committee for all legislative caucus committees and legislative special interest caucuses affiliated with the House of Representatives, and both ethics committees for all legislative caucus committees and legislative special interest caucuses affiliated with both houses. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Ballot measure: means a referendum, proposition, or measure submitted to voters for their approval. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Ballot measure committee: means :

    (a) an association, club, an organization, or a group of persons which, to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, receives contributions or makes expenditures in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars in the aggregate during an election cycle;

    (b) a person, other than an individual, who, to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, makes contributions aggregating at least fifty thousand dollars during an election cycle to or at the request of a ballot measure committee; or

    (c) a person, other than an individual, who, to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, makes independent expenditures aggregating two thousand five hundred dollars or more during an election cycle. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Beneficiary: shall mean any person in receipt of a retirement allowance or other benefit as provided by the System. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • beneficiary: means a person designated by a participant in the South Carolina Retirement System, the South Carolina Police Officers System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, or the State Optional Retirement Program, to receive a benefit from the retirement systems or a person claiming the status and entitlements of a "member's designated beneficiary". See South Carolina Code 9-21-20
  • Beneficiary: means a person in receipt of a pension, an annuity, a retirement allowance or other benefit provided under the system. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Bequest: Property gifted by will.
  • Board: means the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Board: means the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority, acting pursuant to the provisions of this chapter through its Division of Retirement Systems. See South Carolina Code 9-10-10
  • Board: means the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority acting as trustee of the retirement systems and acting through its Division of Retirement Systems. See South Carolina Code 9-12-10
  • Board: means the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Board: means the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority. See South Carolina Code 9-21-20
  • Board: means the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority which shall act under the provisions of this chapter through its Division of Retirement Systems. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Business: means a corporation, partnership, proprietorship, firm, an enterprise, a franchise, an association, organization, or a self-employed individual. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Candidate: means : (a) a person who seeks appointment, nomination for election, or election to a statewide or local office, or authorizes or knowingly permits the collection or disbursement of money for the promotion of his candidacy or election; (b) a person who is exploring whether or not to seek election at the state or local level; or (c) a person on whose behalf write-in votes are solicited if the person has knowledge of such solicitation. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
  • Chambers: A judge's office.
  • Claimant: means a member or a member's designated beneficiary who has filed a claim pursuant to this chapter. See South Carolina Code 9-21-20
  • Class Three member: means an employee member of the system with an effective date of membership after June 30, 2012. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Committee: includes a party committee, a legislative caucus committee, a noncandidate committee, or a committee that is not a campaign committee for a candidate but that is organized for the purpose of influencing an election. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • communication: means (i) any paid advertisement or purchased program time broadcast over television or radio; (ii) any paid message conveyed through telephone banks, direct mail, or electronic mail; or (iii) any paid advertisement that costs more than five thousand dollars that is conveyed through a communication medium other than those set forth in subsections (i) or (ii) of this paragraph. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Contingent beneficiary: Receiver of property or benefits if the first named beneficiary fails to receive any or all of the property or benefits in question before his (her) death.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Contribution: means a gift, subscription, loan, guarantee upon which collection is made, forgiveness of a loan, an advance, in-kind contribution or expenditure, a deposit of money, or anything of value made to a candidate or committee to influence an election; or payment or compensation for the personal service of another person which is rendered for any purpose to a candidate or committee without charge, whether any of the above are made or offered directly or indirectly. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Coordinated with: means discussion or negotiation between a candidate or a candidate's agent and:

    (a) a person;

    (b) an agent of a person;

    (c) any other agent of a candidate; or

    (d) any combination of these concerning, but not limited to, a political communication's:

    (1) contents, including the specific wording of print, broadcast, or telephone communications; appearance of print or broadcast communications; the message or theme of print or broadcast communications;

    (2) timing, including the proximity to general or primary elections, proximity to other political communications, and proximity to other campaign events;

    (3) location, including the proximity to other political communications, or geographical targeting, or both;

    (4) mode, including the medium (phone, broadcast, print, etc. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Corporation: means an entity organized in the corporate form under federal law or the laws of any state. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Creditable service: means a member's earned service, prior service, and purchased service. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Credited service: shall mean service for which credit is allowable as provided in § 9-9-50. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Death benefit: means any benefit payable upon the death of a member under Sections 9-1-1650, 9-1-1660, 9-8-110(1), (3), or (4), 9-9-100(1), (2), or (3), 9-11-110, or 9-11-130. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
  • Devise: To gift property by will.
  • Director: means the Director of the National Guard Retirement System. See South Carolina Code 9-10-10
  • Director: means the Director of the South Carolina Retirement System, the South Carolina Police Officers System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, and the National Guard Retirement System. See South Carolina Code 9-21-20
  • Disability benefit: means any benefit payable to a member or retired member on account of his disability under Sections 9-1-1540, 9-8-60, 9-9-65, or 9-11-80. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • Domestic relations order: means any judgement, decree, or order, including approval of a property settlement agreement, which relates to the provision of alimony payments or marital property rights to a spouse or former spouse of a member or retired member, and is made pursuant to a domestic relations law, including a law of this State or of another state. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Donor: The person who makes a gift.
  • Earnable compensation: means forty times the daily rate of renumeration, plus twelve thousand dollars, of a member of the General Assembly, as from time to time in effect. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Earnable compensation: means the full rate of the compensation that would be payable to a member if the member worked the member's full normal working time; when compensation includes maintenance, fees, and other things of value the board shall fix the value of that part of the compensation not paid in money directly by the employer. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Earned service: means :

    (a) paid employment as a teacher or employee of an employer participating in the system where the teacher or employee makes regular retirement contributions to the system; or

    (b) service rendered while participating in the State Optional Retirement Program, the Optional Retirement Program for Teachers and School Administrators, or the Optional Retirement Program for Publicly Supported Four Year and Postgraduate Institutions of Higher Education that has been purchased pursuant to § 9-1-1140(F); or

    (c) service earned as a participant in the system, the South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, or the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors that is transferred to or purchased in the system. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Educational service: means paid service as a classroom teacher in a public, private, or sectarian school providing elementary or secondary education, kindergarten through grade twelve. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Election: means :

    (a) a general, special, primary, or runoff election;

    (b) a convention or caucus of a political party held to nominate a candidate; or

    (c) the election of delegates to a constitutional convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of this State. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Election cycle: means the period of a term of office beginning on the day after the general election for the office, up to and including the following general election for the same office, including a primary, special primary, or special election; however, the contribution limits under §§ 8-13-1314 and 8-13-1316 apply only to elections occurring on or after January 1, 1992, and are for each primary, runoff, or special election in which a candidate has opposition and for each general election. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Elective office: includes the office of probate judge. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Eligible employee: means :

    (a) a person hired on or after July 1, 2001, by an employer as defined in § 9-20-10(1)(a) to fill a permanent full-time position;

    (b) a person hired on or after July 1, 2002, by an employer as defined in § 9-20-10(1)(b), (c), or (d) to fill a permanent full-time position;

    (c) a person hired on or after July 1, 2003, by an employer as defined in § 9-20-10(1) to fill a temporary position or a part-time permanent position;

    (d) a person employed by an employer as defined in § 9-20-10(1) who, as of June 30, 2001, was a participant of the Optional Retirement Program for Teachers and School Administrators or who, as of June 30, 2002, was a participant of the Optional Retirement Program for Publicly Supported Four-Year and Postgraduate Institutions of Higher Education; or

    (e) an employee, hired on or after January 1, 2003, by the State or any of its departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions, or institutions who is not covered by the State Employee Grievance Procedure but who is eligible to participate in either the South Carolina Retirement System or the Police Officers Retirement System. See South Carolina Code 9-20-10
  • Employee: includes an individual who contracts with an agency for personal services. See South Carolina Code 1-6-10
  • Employee: means :

    (a) to the extent compensated by this State, an employee, agent, or officer of the State or any of its departments, bureaus, and institutions, other than the public schools, whether the employee is elected, appointed, or employed;

    (b) the president, dean, professor, or teacher or any other person employed in any college, university, or educational institution of higher learning supported by and under the control of the State;

    (c) an employee, agent, or officer of a county, municipality, or school district, or an agency or department of any of these, which has been admitted to the system under the provisions of § 9-1-470, to the extent the employee, agent, or officer is compensated for services from public funds;

    (d) an employee of the extension service and any other employee a part of whose salary or wage is paid by the federal government if the federal funds from which the salary or wage is paid before disbursement become state funds;

    (e) an employee of a service organization, the membership of which is composed solely of persons eligible to be teachers or employees as defined by this section, if the compensation received by the employees of the service organization is provided from monies paid by the members as dues or otherwise, or from funds derived from public sources and if the employee contributions prescribed by this title are paid from the funds of the service organization;

    (f) an employee of an alcohol and drug abuse planning agency authorized to receive funds pursuant to § 61-12-20;

    (g) an employee of a local council on aging or other governmental agency providing aging services funded by the Department on Aging. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Employee annuity: shall mean annual payments for life derived from the accumulated contributions of a member. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Employee annuity: means annual payments for life derived from the accumulated contributions of a member. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Employer: means :

    (a) a school district that receives funding from the State from the annual appropriation to the Department of Education for Aid to School Districts-Employer Contributions in the annual general appropriations act;

    (b) a four-year and postgraduate institution of higher education supported and under the control of the State;

    (c) a technical college supported and under the control of the State;

    (d) the State or any of its departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions, and institutions, provided that such entity does not meet the definition of item (1)(a), (b), or (c) of this section. See South Carolina Code 9-20-10
  • Employer: means this State, a county board of education, a district board of trustees, the board of trustees or other managing board of a state-supported college or educational institution, or any other agency of this State by which a teacher or employee is paid; the term "employer" also includes a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the State, or an agency or department of any of these, which has been admitted to the system under the provisions of § 9-1-470, a service organization referred to in item (11)(e) of this section, an alcohol and drug abuse planning agency authorized to receive funds pursuant to § 61-12-20, and a local council on aging or other governmental agency providing aging services funded by the Department on Aging. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Employer annuity: shall mean annual payments for life derived from money provided by the State. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Employer annuity: means annual payments for life derived from money provided by the employer. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
  • Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
  • Expenditure: means a purchase, payment, loan, forgiveness of a loan, an advance, in-kind contribution or expenditure, a deposit, transfer of funds, gift of money, or anything of value for any purpose. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Expenditures incurred: means an amount owed to a creditor for purchase of delivered goods or completed services. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
  • Family member: means an individual who is:

    (a) the spouse, parent, brother, sister, child, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild; or

    (b) a member of the individual's immediate family. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. Source: OCC
  • Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. Source: OCC
  • Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Gift: means anything of value, including entertainment, food, beverage, travel, and lodging given for pay to a public official or public employee to the extent that consideration of equal or greater value is not received. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. Source: OCC
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Immediate family: means :

    (a) a child residing in a candidate's, public official's, public member's, or public employee's household;

    (b) a spouse of a candidate, public official, public member, or public employee; or

    (c) an individual claimed by the candidate, public official, public member, or public employee or the candidate's, public official's, public member's, or public employee's spouse as a dependent for income tax purposes. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • In-kind contribution or expenditure: means goods or services which are provided to or by a person at no charge or for less than their fair market value. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Independent expenditure: means :

    (a) an expenditure made directly or indirectly by a person to advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or ballot measure; and

    (b) when taken as a whole and in context, the expenditure made by a person to influence the outcome of an elective office or ballot measure but which is not:

    (i) made to;

    (ii) controlled by;

    (iii) coordinated with;

    (iv) requested by; or

    (v) made upon consultation with a candidate or an agent of a candidate; or a committee or agent of a committee; or a ballot measure committee or an agent of a ballot measure committee. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Individual: means one human being. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Influence the outcome of an elective office: means :

    (a) expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate using words including or substantially similar to "vote for" "elect" "cast your ballot for" "Smith for Governor" "vote against" " defeat" or "reject";

    (b) communicating campaign slogans or individual words that, taken in context, have no other reasonable meaning other than to urge the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate including or substantially similar to slogans or words such as "Smith's the One" "Jones 2000" "Smith/Jones" "Jones!" or "Smith-A man for the People!"; or

    (c) any communication made, not more than forty-five days before an election, which promotes or supports a candidate or attacks or opposes a candidate, regardless of whether the communication expressly advocates a vote for or against a candidate. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. Source: OCC
  • Internal Revenue Code: means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. See South Carolina Code 9-12-10
  • Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor.
  • Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
  • Judgement: The official decision of a court finally determining the respective rights and claims of the parties to a suit.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Legislative caucus committee: means :

    (a) a committee of either house of the General Assembly controlled by the caucus of a political party or a caucus based upon racial or ethnic affinity, or gender; however, each house may establish only one committee for each political, racial, ethnic, or gender-based affinity;

    (b) a party or group of either house of the General Assembly based upon racial or ethnic affinity, or gender;

    (c) "legislative caucus committee" does not include a "legislative special interest caucus" as defined in § 2-17-10(21). See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Loan: means a transfer of money, property, guarantee, or anything of value in exchange for an obligation, conditional or not, to repay in whole or in part. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Member: means any person included in the membership of the retirement system. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Member: means a participant in the South Carolina Retirement System, the South Carolina Police Officers System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, the State Optional Retirement Program, the National Guard Retirement System, or a person claiming the status and entitlements of a "member". See South Carolina Code 9-21-20
  • Member: means a teacher or employee included in the membership of the system as provided in Article 5 of this chapter. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Member of the System: shall mean any person included in the membership of the System, as set forth in § 9-9-40. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Military service: means :

    (a) service in the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force, or United States Coast Guard;

    (b) service in the select reserve of the Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Air Force Reserve, or the Coast Guard Reserve, and

    (c) service as a member of the Army National Guard or Air National Guard of this or any other state. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • Noncandidate committee: means a committee that is not a campaign committee for a candidate but is organized to influence an election or to support or oppose a candidate or public official, which receives contributions or makes expenditures in excess of five hundred dollars in the aggregate during an election cycle. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Nonqualified service: means purchased service other than public service, educational service, military service, leave of absence, and reestablishment of withdrawals. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Open enrollment period: means the period from January first to March first of each year. See South Carolina Code 9-20-10
  • Operation expenses: means expenditures for salaries and/or fringe benefits for part-time, full-time, temporary and/or contract employees; meeting expenses, travel, utilities, communications and/or communications equipment whether leased or purchased, printing or printing services, postage, food and/or beverage, advertising, consulting services, and/or any other expenditures which are not an authorized contribution to a candidate, committee, or ballot measure committee. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Optional form death benefit: means any periodic benefit payable upon the death of a member or retired member on account of the member's selection of an optional form of allowance under Sections 9-1-1620, 9-8-70, 9-9-70, or 9-11-150. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • Participant: means an eligible employee who participates in the optional retirement program provided by this chapter. See South Carolina Code 9-20-10
  • Party committee: means a committee established by a political party. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Person: means an individual, a proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, joint stock company, syndicate, business trust, an estate, a company, committee, an association, a corporation, club, labor organization, or any other organization or group of persons acting in concert. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Political party: means an association, a committee, or an organization which nominates a candidate whose name appears on the election ballot as the candidate of that association, committee, or organization. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Political subdivision: includes a county, city, municipality, town, village, township, district, authority, special purpose district, school district, other local government entity, or other public corporation or entity whether organized and existing under charter or general law. See South Carolina Code 1-6-10
  • Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
  • Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
  • Prior service: means service rendered as a teacher or employee before July 1, 1945, for which credit is allowable under Article 7 of this chapter. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • Public employee: means a person employed by the State, a county, a municipality, or a political subdivision thereof. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
  • Public official: means an elected or appointed official of the State, a county, a municipality or a political subdivision thereof, including candidates for the office. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Public service: means service as an employee of the government of the United States, a state or political subdivision of the United States, or an agency or instrumentality of any of these. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Purchased service: means service credit purchased by an active member while an employee of an employer participating in the system. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • QEBA: means a Qualified Excess Benefit Arrangements under Section 415(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. See South Carolina Code 9-12-10
  • Qualified domestic relations order: means a domestic relations order which creates or recognizes the existence of an alternate payee's right, or assigns to an alternate payee the right, to receive all or a portion of a benefit payable with respect to a member or retired member under a retirement system, which directs that retirement system to disburse benefits to the alternate payee, and which meets the requirements of this chapter. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • Regular interest: shall mean interest compounded annually at such rate as shall be determined by the Board in accordance with § 9-9-30. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Regular interest: means interest compounded annually at a rate determined by the board in accordance with § 9-1-280. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • Retirement: means the withdrawal from active service with a retirement allowance granted under the system. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Retirement allowance: shall mean monthly payments for life under the System payable as provided in § 9-9-80. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Retirement allowance: means the sum of the employer annuity and the employee annuity or any optional benefit payable in lieu of the annuity. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Retirement benefit: means any benefit payable to a retired member and which is based on the member's age, service, pay, or accumulated contributions. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • Retirement system: means the South Carolina Retirement System, Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, and Police Officers Retirement System established pursuant to Chapters 1, 8, 9, and 11 of this title. See South Carolina Code 9-12-10
  • retirement systems: means the division of the board administering the South Carolina Retirement System, the South Carolina Police Officers System, the Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly, the Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors, the State Optional Retirement Program, or the National Guard Retirement System. See South Carolina Code 9-21-20
  • Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
  • Rule of ninety: means a requirement that the total of the member's age and the member's creditable service equals at least ninety years. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • State: shall mean the State of South Carolina. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • Statewide office: means an elective office other than a federal office eligible to be voted upon by all electors of the State. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Supplemental appropriation: Budget authority provided in an appropriations act in addition to regular or continuing appropriations already provided. Supplemental appropriations generally are made to cover emergencies, such as disaster relief, or other needs deemed too urgent to be postponed until the enactment of next year's regular appropriations act.
  • System: shall mean the Retirement System for members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. See South Carolina Code 9-9-10
  • system: means the National Guard Retirement System established pursuant to this chapter. See South Carolina Code 9-10-10
  • system: means the South Carolina Retirement System, Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors of the State of South Carolina, Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, or South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System. See South Carolina Code 9-18-10
  • system: means the South Carolina Retirement System established under § 9-1-20. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Teacher: means a classroom teacher employed in the public schools supported by this State as determined by the board. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • this State: means the State of South Carolina. See South Carolina Code 9-1-10
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
  • Transfer: means the movement or exchange of funds or anything of value between committees and candidates except the disposition of surplus funds or material assets by a candidate to a party committee, as provided in this article. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.