South Carolina may get small ethics reform package this year

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Ethics reform might not be dead at the South Carolina Statehouse this year.

The Senate Judiciary Committee sent several changes to the state’s ethics laws to the Senate floor Tuesday, nearly three months after a comprehensive ethics bill died.

This time, Republican Senate Judiciary Chairman Larry Martin broke the bill into several parts and amended them into existing bills that passed the House in February.

The new bills do not include one of the most contentious ideas of creating an independent commission to review ethics complaints against lawmakers. Also not likely to pass is a proposal requiring anonymous political groups to report their activity and who gives them money.

What did pass are more stringent requirements for lawmakers to disclose their income and to allow larger contributions to candidates.