Ethics Database and Document Management System
Since 1993, ASG has supported and enhanced a pioneering system it developed for the South Carolina State Ethics Commission (SEC). The Ethics System, a robust database and document management system, tracks and stores political candidate and lobbyist registration, disclosure, and statements of economic interests.
Background
SEC regulates many matters of public policy and politics in South Carolina. SEC tracks political candidates and campaigns, monitors economic interests of candidates and elected officials, and registers and regulates lobbyists and lobbyists' principals (persons or groups for whom lobbyists act).
Candidates who seek public office must submit campaign disclosure forms to SEC. Candidates, as well as other public officials, also must submit statements of economic interest. All lobbyists and lobbyists' principals must register and submit disclosure forms, whether or not any funds have been expended. Forms and statements filed with SEC, including campaign and lobbyist disclosures and statements of economic interest, are public information that any citizen may review.
Because these efforts have involved an enormous amount of data gathering, SEC turned to computer-assisted processing of this information. While relying on its own personnel to input and manage the data, SEC contracted with ASG to develop its database applications and to maintain the software.
Development and Features
In 1993, ASG began to develop a primary database using Oracle software. Oracle's scalable, secure architecture provides the reliable and efficient performance needed for SEC's intensive data management applications. Distributed on a network server, the Oracle database supports the majority of the SEC data collecting, including registration and tracking of candidates, campaign disclosures, lobbyists, and lobbyist principals.
ASG integrated the database with a document imaging system, using OptiDoc as the software tool. The document imaging system allows SEC employees to scan and index original paper copies of economic and activity disclosures for political candidates and lobbyists. This feature saves time in filing, organizing, and retrieving original documents, and in producing reports on indexed data.
In subsequent years, SEC has contracted ASG to provide support and additional development for SEC information operations. The Oracle database is now accessed through Oracle Forms and Reports, associated Pro*C scripts, OptiDoc, Microsoft Access, and other applications developed by ASG.
Continued Enhancements
To date, ASG has developed more than a dozen database forms and applications for diverse uses, including not only registration and tracking of candidates, campaigns, and lobbyists, but also vendor approvals for inventory purchases, accounting and periodic financial reports, reports for tracking SEC employee leave hours, and other employee information.
More recent efforts have included a project to allow web-based reporting of campaign contributions. ASG continues to provide database support, maintenance, and personnel training for the Ethics Database and Document Management System.
Highlights of the Ethics System
- Web-Based Reporting of Campaign Contributions
- Scan Capability for Storing Original Document Images
- Forms and Applications for Political Candidate Registration and Campaign Tracking
- Forms and Applications to Lobbyist Registration and Tracking
- Forms for Vendor Approvals of Inventory Purchases
- Accounting and Periodic Financial Reports
- Reports to Track Employees Leave Hours
