South Carolina Open Records

South Carolina laws and court cases

State Statute

Visit the S.C. Press Association FOI page, which includes links to a PDF version of the annotated state FOI law with plain-language explanations.

Open Government Guide to South Carolina's open records legislation by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Letter Generator

Generate an open records request that conforms to South Carolina requirements

Exemptions

Document types exempted from public access.

Contacts (where to send your request)

South Carolina School District Contacts (excel)

South Carolina School District Contacts (online)

State Salary Database

This is a list of nearly all state agencies for the year 2005, searchable by employee name, from newspaper The State: S.C. State Salary Database

To see what other states have salary databases, click here.

Sunshine Troublemaker of the Week

South Carolina resident Cindy Wilson has received the coveted STOTW Award. Read all about her open records adventures, and see what other states have citizens who have earned the award, here.

Blogs, websites and resources that use open records

(add yours!)

Press

Head to Sunshine Review for the most recent open record updates in South Carolina.

2008

October 13, 2008: SLED to charge for checks

October 9, 2008: AB chastised, but not charged, in meeting violation

October 5, 2008: School board pushed to make records public

August 15, 2008: Legislators: Consolidation of school districts not on front burner

August 10, 2008: Government investment requires full transparency

August 9, 2008: Fertilizer firm files FOI suit

July 30, 2008: State government needs more transparency

July 27, 2008: Some Medicaid records now open to public

July 16, 2008: 2 councilmen at odds over suggested settlement of suit

July 10, 2008: Information from county available--if the price is right

June 19, 2008: Expert: County Council move may violate law; attorney: there was no secret meeting

June 18, 2008: Town Council violated information act

June 6, 2008: School board member accuses Ceips' aide of harassment

June 4, 2008: Ehrhardt group mounts FOIA legal challenge on school closure

June 2, 2008: Supreme Court rules against Anderson councilwoman in records case

May 19, 2008: Pickens school district needs lessons on openness

May 14, 2008: Trustees cite RMC’s failure to tell public about meeting

May 12, 2008: Information, please

May 1, 2008: Anderson County Council members respond to public records requests

April 30, 2008: County officials set charges for access to public records

April 27, 2008: State passes law hiding the identity of South Carolina's more than 61,300 concealed-weapons permit holders

April 26, 2008: This gun owner doesn't want his address public

April 26, 2008: Should you have a right to know who is carrying a gun?

April 21, 2008: Performance Evaluations Released

April 19, 2008: Anderson County Administrator Joey Preston releases evaluations

April 19, 2008: Other Freedom of Information requests still outstanding regarding Joey Preston

April 18, 2008: Public barred from list of S.C. concealed-weapons permits

April 17, 2008: Union’s response to employee salary request was weeks late

April 11, 2008: County's public records record a disgrace

April 8, 2008: McMaster Comments About Anderson Personnel Dispute

April 8, 2008: County Denies Release of Personal Files

April 3, 2008: Public records are to be PUBLIC records

April 1, 2008: From Afghanistan, soldier seeks info on S.C. State board

March 29, 2008: Anderson County officials deny access to public records

March 24, 2008: S.C. in position to cut off public access to concealed carry permits

March 20, 2008: Open records laws help public stay informed

March 12, 2008: Voucher supporter files suit over records

March 6, 2008: Horry's map fee decried in court

March 6, 2008: Effort to close gun records wrong direction for government

February 27, 2008: Horry board chooses 7 candidates

February 26, 2008: Gun permits should remain public record

February 26, 2008: City of Florence excludes public from process of hiring fire chief

February 13, 2008: Don't Close Gun Records

February 8, 2008: Open records. Case closed.

February 5, 2008: Fight about public records 'isn't going away' in Anderson County Council

January 24, 2008: Justices question both sides in public records dispute

January 22, 2008: Wilson vs. Preston fight to go to S.C. Supreme Court this week

January 19, 2008: Information on Humane Society Dismissal Receives Partial Response

January 10, 2008: Former police chief says he will bring legal action against town

January 5, 2008: Severance package creates dispute

2007

December 26, 2007: Richland Council Breaks Sunshine Law

December 10, 2007: Administrator search continues

November 17, 2007: Resident suing town of Gaston

Novmeber 16, 2007: Kudos (well done) to Fort Lawn

November 16, 2007: What the public needs to know

November 14, 2007: Media attorney says council violated FOI law

November 10, 2007: DHEC secrecy under fire

November 9, 2007: Dismissed Woodruff official claims her rights violated

October 16, 2007: Board must do better with legal settlements

October 11, 2007: Board is wrong to hide settlement (Opinion column)

September 25, 2007: Star & Enterprise columnists speak out on FOIA, Web...

September 18, 2007: Keep school board doors open

August 20, 2007: Board chairman's poll violated FOIA

August 15, 2007: District 5 land buy scrutinized

July 28, 2007: School district asks former principal for permission to release details of settlement

July 16, 2007: Supreme Court sides with newspaper in lawsuit against school board

July 12, 2007: School district to rework policy on public disclosure of information

June 20, 2007: Ex-coach’s lawyer seeks paper trail

June 13, 2007: County's offer violated Freedom of information laws

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