The State Ethics Commission is losing an influential attorney who was recently silenced by the commission’s director.

Attorney Cathy Hazelwood said she will leave the commission after 15 years of service to work at the Department of Education under Republican Superintendent-elect Molly Spearman.Hazelwood was a go-to source for interpretation of ethics laws and media frequently sought her expertise when ethics complaints were filed against public officials.

However, the commission recently created a policy to channel all media inquiries to the director, Herb Hayden.

The policy came close to a year after Hazelwood publically disagreed with Hayden over how to handle an ethics case involving Governor Nikki Haley.

The commission is advertising for a new attorney to fill the position.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has created an independent commission responsible for making recommendations to reform state ethics and open records laws.

The executive order establishes an 11-member panel to review several ethics areas including conflict of interest rules, lobbying regulation, and enforcement of existing laws.

The governor expects a report from the commission by January 28, 2013, just weeks after the beginning of the next legislative session.

Photo of Governor Haley courtesy of Albert N. Milliron on Wikipedia.

“In case you missed it: ‘Capitol Assets’ highlights” by Ed O’Keefe in the Washington Post.

“Street Talk: Lobby Shop Ogilvy Now Faces Uncertain Future” by Kate Ackley in Roll Call.

Indiana: “Daniels unsure of lobbying as Purdue” by The Associated Press in the Evansville Courier & Press.

Minnesota:  “Local government units spent $8.3M on legislative lobbying last year” by Brian Lambert on MinnPost.com.

South Carolina: “Ethics hearing for S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley to begin Thursday” by Andrew Shain in the Kansas City Star.

Georgia: “Gov. Deal still has 3 pending ethics complaints” by the Morris News Service in the Augusta Chronicle.

Missouri: “Former Missouri governor, St. Louis attorney indicted in campaign contributions case” by Robert Patrick in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

South Carolina: “Ethics Commission to hear 7 allegations against Haley” by Gina Smith in The State.

Lobbyists and lobbyist’s principals can no longer register, reregister, or continue to be registered in South Carolina if they have outstanding late filing penalties.

House Bill 3183, which Governor Nikki Haley recently signed into law, prohibits the State Ethics Commission from allowing delinquent lobbyists and lobbyist’s principals to participate in lobbying until the fines and filing have been remedied.

The bill also delineates what the fines and penalties are for late filing. Persons filing late are first fined $100 if a report is not filed within 10 days of the due date. After receiving notice by certified or registered mail that a required report has not been filed, there is a $10 a day fine for the first 10 days after receiving the notice. The fine increases to $100 a day for each additional day the required report is not filed, capping at $5,000.

If the report is still not filed, the offender faces an additional misdemeanor conviction with imprisonment or fines.

Flag of South Carolina courtesy of mapsof.net.

The South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled the Legislature does not have to meet today in a special session called by Governor Nikki Haley.

In a 3 to 2 decision, the court denied the special session, writing: “Although the General Assembly is currently in recess, it has not adjourned sine die and, therefore, is still in its annual session. Under these specific facts, respondent cannot convene an ‘extra’ session of the General Assembly since it is currently in session. To do so would interrupt the annual session and would violate the General Assembly’s authority to set its calendar and agenda and would constitute a violation of the separation of powers provision.”

The Legislature will meet in a previously scheduled session on June 14.

This blog post follows up a previous article “South Carolina’s Extra Special Session” by George Ticoras on June 3.

The regular session of the South Carolina Legislature adjourned on June 2 and a special session is scheduled for June 14. However, Governor Nikki Haley has requested an earlier additional special session for June 7 to pass further legislation, but the elected representatives may not convene.

While House Speaker Bobby Harrell has instructed house members to return on June 7, Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell has said the senate will not return, even though both the governor and Senator McConnell are in the same political party.

Several legislators challenge the governor’s legal authority to convene a special session without extraordinary circumstances.