§55-17-2. Definitions.

For the purposes of this section:

(1) "Action" means a proceeding instituted against a governmental agency in a circuit court or in the Supreme Court of Appeals, except actions instituted pursuant to statutory provisions that authorize a specific procedure for appeal or similar method of obtaining relief from the ruling of an administrative agency and actions instituted to appeal or otherwise seek relief from a criminal conviction, including, but not limited to, actions to obtain habeas corpus relief.

(2) "Government agency" means a Constitutional officer or other public official named as a defendant or respondent in his or her official capacity, or a department, division, bureau, board, commission or other agency or instrumentality within the executive branch of state government that has the capacity to sue or be sued;

(3) "Judgment" means a judgment, order or decree of a court which would:

(A) Require or otherwise mandate an expansion of, increase in, or addition to the services, duties or responsibilities of a government agency;

(B) Require or otherwise mandate an increase in the expenditures of a government agency above the level of expenditures approved or authorized before the entry of the proposed judgment;

(C) Require or otherwise mandate the employment or other hiring of, or the contracting with, personnel or other entities by a government agency in addition to the personnel or other entities employed or otherwise hired by, or contracted with or by the government agency;

(D) Require or otherwise mandate payment of a claim based upon a breach of contract by a government agency; or

(E) Declare an act of the Legislature unconstitutional and, therefore, unenforceable.