(A) Except as otherwise provided by law, all initial complaints, investigations, proceedings, records, and information relating to allegations of misconduct or incapacity are confidential and must not be disclosed to the public. A record published, released, or made public must not disclose the initial complainant’s name or identity except by order of the board made with due consideration of the complainant’s privacy. While the matter remains confidential, the members and staff of the department and the board must not reveal in any way the nature of the initial complaint except to persons directly involved in the matter and then only to the extent necessary for proper investigation and disposition of the matter.

(B) When a formal complaint is filed regarding an allegation of misconduct, the formal complaint and any answer become open to the public after the filing of the answer or if no answer is filed, thirty days after the service of the charges upon the licensee. Thereafter, except as otherwise provided by this chapter, all subsequent records and proceedings relating to the misconduct allegation are open to the public. If an allegation of incapacity is raised during the misconduct proceedings, all records, information, and proceedings relating to the allegation are confidential.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 40-23-190

  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Board: means the South Carolina Environmental Certification Board. See South Carolina Code 40-23-20
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Department: means the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation;

    (5) "Director" means the Director of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation or the director's official designee;

    (6) "Licensee" means a person granted an authorization to practice pursuant to this article and refers to a person holding a license, permit, certification, or registration granted pursuant to this article;

    (7) "Licensing act" means the individual statute or regulations, or both, of each regulated profession or occupation which include, but are not limited to, board governance, the qualifications and requirements for authorization to practice, prohibitions, and disciplinary procedures;

    (8) "Person" means an individual, partnership, or corporation;

    (9) "Profession" or "occupation" means a profession or occupation regulated or administered, or both, by the department pursuant to this article. See South Carolina Code 40-1-20
  • 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.
  • Licensee: means a person currently or previously authorized to practice a licensed activity pursuant to this chapter and includes a person holding a license, permit, certification, or registration granted pursuant to this chapter. See South Carolina Code 40-23-20
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, copartnership, cooperative, firm, company, public or private corporation, political subdivision, government agency, trust, estate, joint structure company, or any other legal entity or its legal representative, agent, or assigns. See South Carolina Code 40-23-20

(C) However, the department or the board may disclose information to another government agency, including law enforcement officials, at any stage of the proceedings in order to protect the public or for the administration of justice.

(D) Each communication, oral or written, made by or on behalf of a complainant or by a person in the course of an investigation or hearing pursuant to this chapter to or by the department, the board, or their agent is privileged. A civil or criminal action or proceeding may not be brought against the person, by or on whose behalf the communication is made, except upon other proof that the communication was made with malice.

(E) Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit the licensee respondent or the respondent’s legal counsel from exercising the respondent’s constitutional right of due process as provided by law or to prohibit the respondent from normal access to the charges made and evidence filed against the respondent as part of due process as provided by law.

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