Research

Statehouse Update January 20-22

Update 1/22/26: Adjustments were made to this summary to reflect developments that occurred during the week. It is week two at the Statehouse and lawmakers have their hands full with tax reform in the Senate and judicial reform in the House. Members in both chambers are also looking to move on...

Brendan Connors

Written by
January 19, 2026

  • Statehouse Update January 20-22

    Update 1/22/26: Adjustments were made to this summary to reflect developments that occurred during the week. It is week two at the Statehouse and lawmakers have their hands full with tax reform in the Senate and judicial reform in the House. Members in both chambers are also looking to move on...
    Brendan Connors

    Written by
    January 19, 2026

  • FY 27: Another year of big state spending?

    On Monday, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster released his proposed state spending plan for fiscal year 2027, which starts July 1. 
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    January 16, 2026

  • Where Does South Carolina Rank in Economic Freedom?

    South Carolina ranks 21st nationally with an overall score of 6.84 in the Economic Freedom of North America (EFNA) report published by the Fraser Institute. People have more economic freedom when they are allowed to make more of their own economic choices. Based on 2023 data, the ranking places the...
    Vance Ginn Ph.D.

    Written by
    January 16, 2026

  • Statehouse Update January 13-15

    Update 1/15/26: Adjustments were made to this summary to reflect developments that occurred during the week. The second half of the 2025-26 legislative session starts this week. Lawmakers are wasting no time picking up where they left off—and we’re right alongside them. Each week, the Policy Council will bring you...
    Brendan Connors

    Written by
    January 12, 2026

  • Advancing South Carolina: SCPC celebrates policy wins in 2025

    Historic progress was made this year in South Carolina on school choice, tax reform, civil liability reform, and deregulation. Many of the issues in our 2025-26 legislative agenda were successfully advanced.   We also had the honor of polling South Carolinians on issues facing the state, and the chance to have those results covered in the media.  
    Neil Wolin

    Written by
    December 13, 2025

  • A snapshot of literacy trends in the South

    Across the United States, fourth grade reading scores paint a grim picture. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the average reading score for U.S. fourth graders fell to 214 in 2024, its lowest in over two decades. Forty percent of students across the nation read below the...
    Katelyn Bergman

    Written by
    December 12, 2025

  • Cutting the weeds: Reining in bureaucracy

    Small business is the backbone of South Carolina’s economy.  They, along with their employees and consumers, are increasingly burdened by a plethora of regulation and red tape.   According to a study done by the National Association of Manufacturers, federal government regulations alone can cost businesses across the country upwards of $12,000 per employee.  Some regulations may be necessary, however with the combination of...
    Ethan Brawer

    Written by
    December 04, 2025

  • The 2027 South Carolina Responsible Budget

    A Pro-Growth Framework for Responsible Spending, Surplus-Driven Tax Relief, and Long-Term Prosperity By Vance Ginn, PhD., and Sam Aaron   Introduction South Carolina enters Fiscal Year 2027 with strong economic momentum but growing fiscal risk. Payroll employment expanded by 3.1 percent year over year, while the unemployment rate edged up...
    Vance Ginn PhD. and Sam Aaron

    Written by
    November 12, 2025

  • Edisto Island Shuttle shows how red tape hurts small-town transportation

    When large rideshare companies don’t serve rural South Carolina, small operators step up, but government rules make it an uphill climb. There are several rural communities across South Carolina where major rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have declined to operate. This is due to a mix of factors, chiefly limited...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    November 07, 2025

  • Lessons to learn from Mississippi’s education reforms

    Mississippi’s recent rise in education is teaching a lesson that policymakers across the country are watching closely, given the state’s long-standing reputation for struggling in national rankings summed up by the old saying, “Thank God for Mississippi.”
    Brendan Connors

    Written by
    October 31, 2025