As used in this title:

(1) "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. For the purpose of this chapter, "Agency" also includes public schools, public school districts, public charter schools, public charter school authorizers, and any voluntary association that establishes and enforces bylaws or rules for interscholastic sports competition for public secondary schools in the State. "Agency" does not include:

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 1-6-10

  • 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
  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • 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.
  • Employee: includes an individual who contracts with an agency for personal services. See South Carolina Code 1-6-10
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: means :

    (a) an individual, labor union and organization, joint apprenticeship committee, partnership, association, corporation, legal representative, mutual company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, trustee, trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, or other legal or commercial entity located in part or in whole in the State or doing business in the State;

    (b) the State and any agency or local subdivision of an agency; or

    (c) a political subdivision. See South Carolina Code 1-6-10
  • 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
  • State officer: means any of the following:

    (a) the Governor;

    (b) the Lieutenant Governor;

    (c) the Secretary of State;

    (d) the State Comptroller General;

    (e) the State Treasurer;

    (f) the Attorney General;

    (g) the Superintendent of Education;

    (h) the Commissioner of Agriculture; or

    (i) the Adjutant General. See South Carolina Code 1-6-10
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.

(a) the judicial department of state government;

(b) quasi-judicial bodies of state government;

(c) the legislative department of state government; or

(d) political subdivisions, unless otherwise provided herein.

(2) "Business relationship" means dealings of a person with an agency seeking, obtaining, establishing, maintaining, or implementing:

(a) a pecuniary interest in a contract or purchase with the agency; or

(b) a license or permit requiring the exercise of judgment or discretion by the agency.

(3) "Employee" means an individual who is employed by an agency on a full-time, part-time, temporary, intermittent, or hourly basis. "Employee" includes an individual who contracts with an agency for personal services.

(4) "Person" means:

(a) an individual, labor union and organization, joint apprenticeship committee, partnership, association, corporation, legal representative, mutual company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, trustee, trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, or other legal or commercial entity located in part or in whole in the State or doing business in the State;

(b) the State and any agency or local subdivision of an agency; or

(c) a political subdivision.

(5) "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.

(6) "Special state appointee" means a person who is:

(a) not a state officer or employee; and

(b) elected or appointed to an authority, a board, a commission, a committee, a council, a task force, or other body designated by name that:

(i) is authorized by statute or Executive Order; and

(ii) functions in a policy or an advisory role in the executive, including the administrative, department of state government, including a separate body corporate and politic.

(7) "State officer" means any of the following:

(a) the Governor;

(b) the Lieutenant Governor;

(c) the Secretary of State;

(d) the State Comptroller General;

(e) the State Treasurer;

(f) the Attorney General;

(g) the Superintendent of Education;

(h) the Commissioner of Agriculture; or

(i) the Adjutant General.

(8) "Wrongdoing" means action by an agency which results in substantial abuse, misuse, destruction, or loss of substantial public funds or public resources. "Wrongdoing" also includes an allegation that a public employee has intentionally violated federal or state statutory law or regulations or other political subdivision ordinances or regulations or a code of ethics, which violation is not merely technical or of a minimum nature.