Research

The South Carolina Policy Council's 2025-26 Legislative Agenda

Read the print digital version here. As we move into the 2025-26 legislative session, the South Carolina Policy Council will pursue a strategic set of 18 reforms aimed at advancing our mission of promoting and protecting the principles of limited government and individual liberties, free markets, and traditional South Carolina values....

  • The South Carolina Policy Council's 2025-26 Legislative Agenda

    Read the print digital version here. As we move into the 2025-26 legislative session, the South Carolina Policy Council will pursue a strategic set of 18 reforms aimed at advancing our mission of promoting and protecting the principles of limited government and individual liberties, free markets, and traditional South Carolina values....
  • Updated: Governor, education agency seek rehearing on school choice ruling

    Update 10/4/2024 On Friday, Oct. 4, the South Carolina Supreme Court denied Gov. Henry McMaster and the South Carolina Department of Education’s petition for a rehearing. In light of this decision, we urge the state legislature to convene a special session to formulate a plan that ensures students affected by...
  • SCPC ‘deeply disappointed’ with school choice ruling

    MEDIA RELEASE September 11, 2024 The South Carolina Policy Council says it’s “deeply disappointed” with the S.C. Supreme Court’s ruling today that a new state program using public funds for scholarships to allow students to attend private schools was unconstitutional.
  • Tax relief, road repairs and parental bill of rights popular among SCPC readers

    As the 2025-26 legislative session approaches in South Carolina, we conducted an internal survey of our readers August 31- September 4 to gather insights on key policy issues. The survey covered areas such as taxes and spending, infrastructure, education, legal reform, and transparency.  Our readers expressed the most concern about...
  • SCPC announces that Sam Aaron has been promoted to Research Director

    The South Carolina Policy Council is pleased to announce that Sam Aaron has be promoted to Research Director. In his new role, Sam will lead our research staff’s efforts to ensure that the SCPC is putting forth best-in-class materials to further promote our stated values. As a native South Carolinian,...
  • How South Carolina’s income tax cuts compare to the Southeast

    With the governor's recent approval of the FY25 state budget, South Carolina will continue its positive trajectory on personal income tax rates, accelerating the reduction adopted two years ago by lowering the top marginal rate from 6.4% to 6.2%. Initially, the House this year proposed a 0.1% point reduction in...
  • Budgetary process in need of transparency and accountability

    As state agencies prepare to submit their annual budget requests, now is an opportunity to re-evaluate the budgetary process and encourage the governor and agencies to comply with state budget law. 
  • SCPC announces the selection of Michael Burris as new Chief Executive Officer

    MEDIA RELEASE Aug. 5, 2024 The South Carolina Policy Council Board of Directors announces the selection of Michael Burris, a Charleston native, former business executive and Navy veteran, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the longstanding research organization. “I am eager to advocate for and develop policies that make...
  • How a bill becomes a law in South Carolina

    The legislative process can often be complex. Upon researching available online resources regarding South Carolina's legislative process, we found that the primary resource was an overly complicated PDF that is almost a decade old.  To address this, SCPC has developed a new, easily understandable graphic. This graphic is designed to help...
  • Looking ahead: Constitutional amendment heads to November ballot

    Update 10/24/2024: The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  "Must Section 4, Article II of the Constitution of this State, relating to voter qualifications, be amended so as to provide that only a citizen of the United States and of this State of the age of eighteen...