There are many types of officials who must complete a Statement of Economic Interests form with the State Ethics Commission by March 30 at noon.
In addition to the regular annual deadline, officials must also submit the forms when they have been hired into certain positions. Those hired into positions requiring an SEI must submit the form within 10 days of their hiring, or face fines.
Here are the municipality-related positions who must complete an SEI form under SC Code Section 8-13-1110:
- All public officials, which includes those elected or appointed by a municipality or other political subdivision of the state.
- Most candidates for public office, excluding candidates for federal offices.
- Any person appointed to fill the unexpired term of an elected official.
- Administrators by whatever title. This includes city administrators, managers, supervisors, or chief administrative officials. It also includes municipal clerks, and the administrators of entities such as regional planning councils, airport commissions, water and sewer districts, or development commissions.
- Chief finance and chief purchasing officials of municipalities and other political subdivisions, such as regional planning councils, airport commissions, water and sewer districts, or development commissions.
State law defines an economic interest as “an interest distinct from that of the general public in a purchase, sale, lease, contract, option, or other transaction or arrangement involving property or services in which a public official, public member, or public employee may gain an economic benefit.”
The economic interests that officials must disclose on the forms include their own business dealings and property, but also those of immediate family members as well.
The fines charged to the individual official, not the municipality, for overdue SEI submissions can be substantial. Once the forms become overdue, fines for not filing them can increase daily until they hit maximum amounts.
The State Ethics Commission maintains a full list of all types of public officials who are subject to the SEI requirement, as well as the circumstances under which they must make a disclosure online.