Legislative agenda

An unprecedented hearing

On Monday, September 28, three panelists selected by Governor McMaster held a first of its kind hearing to give Charleston County School District Trustee Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson the ability to refute allegations of misconduct. This was the first hearing of its type to take place, as a 2022 law authorizing the...

Robert Cathcart

Written by
October 02, 2026

  • An unprecedented hearing

    On Monday, September 28, three panelists selected by Governor McMaster held a first of its kind hearing to give Charleston County School District Trustee Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson the ability to refute allegations of misconduct. This was the first hearing of its type to take place, as a 2022 law authorizing the...
    Robert Cathcart

    Written by
    October 02, 2026

  • Who should pay for South Carolina’s data center growth?

    South Carolina is facing unprecedented growth from large transformational energy customers such as expanding and newly planned data centers, and residential ratepayers across the state are concerned.  
    Neil Wolin

    Written by
    September 12, 2026

  • SCPC announces new CEO

    The Policy Council is pleased to announce that Robert Cathcart has been selected to serve as our new President & CEO. Robert is excited to begin on September 8, taking over for Michael Burris who has served as our President & CEO since 2024.
    South Carolina Policy Council Team

    Written by
    August 24, 2026

  • 250 Years of Liberty

    On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Great Britain. Two days later, on July 4, delegates approved the final text of the Declaration of Independence, enshrining a set of principles that would reshape not only a nation, but the course of history. 
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    July 02, 2026

  • Revisiting SCPC’s interviews with South Carolina’s new Republican nominees

    The Tuesday, June 23, 2026 runoffs are in the books.  With the dust settling, the Republican side of the ticket for statewide offices is now set. In the gubernatorial runoff, Attorney General Alan Wilson defeated Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette by a margin of 68.56% to 31.44%. 
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    June 25, 2026

  • 2026 Session Recap: Major progress on SCPC backed reforms

    The regular 2026 legislative session came to a close on May 14th and conference committees for outstanding pieces of legislation including the state budget still need to get over the finish line.   Massive reform packages for the state income tax and the Department of Transportation have been signed by the governor, with many crucial priorities making their...
    Neil Wolin

    Written by
    June 04, 2026

  • House acts on Policy Council’s SCDOT recommendations

    Update: Governor Henry McMaster signed the bill into law on 5/18/26. The bill passed conference committee with a provision requiring CTCs to spend a portion of their funds on state highways. This summary has been updated to reflect the most current information. Earlier this week, the House passed a bill...
    Brendan Connors

    Written by
    April 30, 2026

  • S.C. Senate waters down data center reform

    Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly stated that sales tax revenue lost due to data center exemptions totaled $828 million, as referenced on the Senate floor. We have since been made aware that the correct total is $828,288. The report has been updated accordingly. Update 4/28/26: S.867 Data...
    Neil Wolin

    Written by
    April 27, 2026

  • Reforms for Results: Solutions for S.C.’s Transportation Challenges

    Update 4/29/26: S.831, a bill previously resembling H.5071, has passed the House in which many of SCPC's recommendations were adopted. Click here for the updated bill report. Executive Summary  South Carolina has consistently increased spending on road repairs and new construction over the past several decades. Yet despite the 2017...
    Sam Aaron and Brendan Connors

    Written by
    April 21, 2026

  • A trio of data center bills filed in the Senate

    Last year, the governor signed energy legislation that expedited energy projects in the state, most notably the Canady’s natural gas plant. Before signage, the House removed requirements that would protect ratepayers from massive energy infrastructure costs driven up by commercial data centers.   In the absence of these protections and heightened concerns about where and how data centers operate in the...
    Neil Wolin

    Written by
    February 13, 2026