Research

  • The 2026 South Carolina Responsible Budget: A Blueprint for Fiscal Discipline and Economic Growth

    By Vance Ginn, PhD., and Sam Aaron South Carolina has enjoyed significant economic success. With strong labor market growth and a favorable climate for business investment, the state continues to be one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. However, without a responsible approach to budgeting, this progress risks being...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    January 06, 2025

  • Three budget solutions on our Christmas list

    This is the time of year when Governor McMaster is working on his proposed state budget to the Legislature, which starts its regular session next month. The next fiscal year begins on July 1st. The current state budget is $42.2 billion, including about $14.5 billion in state general funds.  The...
    Neil Wolin

    Written by
    December 18, 2024

  • Bills to watch in 2025

    Updated 12/20/24: This summary contains information from the both rounds of House prefiles and the Senate prefiles.  With the year coming to a close, a new legislative session is quickly approaching. This is the time when state lawmakers file a flurry of bills (known as "prefiles") in preparation for the...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    December 11, 2024

  • 2024 Legislative Scorecard

    Overview  South Carolina is embarking on a path toward a brighter future – and adopting key policies will be essential on this journey. The South Carolina Policy Council’s 2024 Legislative Scorecard was created to promote the organization’s principles of limited government and individual liberties, free markets, and traditional South Carolina values.  This report, which covers...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    December 05, 2024

  • How to improve transparency in state and local government

    Citizen engagement is vital to an accountable functioning government. Transparency empowers people to witness and participate in the decision-making processes. In today’s digital age, livestreaming public meetings is critical for fostering community involvement.  Livestreaming public meetings allows citizens who cannot attend in person to engage with and monitor discussions and...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    November 11, 2024

  • Key takeaways from South Carolina's 2024 statehouse elections

    With the national spotlight on the 2024 election, results from the South Carolina Statehouse have flown under the radar. Here are some key takeaways from the election and its impact on the Statehouse: Flipped Senate Seats: Senate District 17: Republican Everett Stubbs defeated incumbent Democrat Mike Fanning. Senate District 29:...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    November 06, 2024

  • 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....
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    October 14, 2024

  • 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...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    September 27, 2024

  • 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.
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    September 11, 2024

  • 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...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    September 06, 2024