Home » Guides » Human Resources » Background Checks » South Carolina Public Records Laws and Regulations

South Carolina Public Records Laws and Regulations

Learn about agencies that control and provide access to public records of SC

By Emmet McMahan
South Carolina public records laws and regulations provide access to government records like budget reports and meeting minutes. They also allow public access to records on individuals, such as vital records and criminal records.

SC public records laws can be classified by the type of public records that they affect. These include the three following categories:
  1. Laws on public records of South Carolina that address the way in which these records can be accessed. These laws control issues such as the requirement for providing a reason for the information, specifying fees that an agency may charge and stating the length of time that the state is allowed to respond to a request for information.
  2. Laws that specify an individual's information that may be considered public. These laws affect the way in which an individual may access their own information and how they may allow access by another party.
  3. Laws that control the government records that the public may access. These laws may be intended to keep individuals informed on government decisions or allow journalists to report on government activity.

 

Examine the laws that control access to public records of SC

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for South Carolina is a law that typically guides access to South Carolina court records and is usually handled by the attorney general's office. South Carolina criminal records may also be obtained from municipal and county courts.
Try: The State of South Carolina Department of Archives and History Pages provides an introduction to the South Carolina Public Records Act. The South Carolina Legislature has the complete text of its Freedom of Information Act.

Study the laws that affect South Carolina access to public records on individuals

Public records laws for individuals control access to South Carolina bankruptcy records, criminal records in South Carolina and South Carolina vital records. Some of these records may only be accessible to a designated individual or a party.
Try: The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provides its regulations for obtaining background checks on individuals in South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control describes its procedures for obtaining vital records on individuals under South Carolina law.

Review the South Carolina public records laws that affect government records

Government records laws allow access to records such as real estate sales, budget reports and meeting minutes. Some government entities may specialize in one particular type of record, while others may provide access to many different types of government records.
Try: The South Carolina State Ports Authority provides its procedures for complying with public records requests under the Freedom of Information Act. The Charleston Water System offers a summary of its regulations for supplying government records, such as meeting minutes.

 

  • South Carolina public records law is generally guided by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This federal legislation was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966. The FOIA was amended by the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments in 1996, which controls the electronic access the public has to these records.

Copyright © 2011 Business.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.