Research

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.

Written by Sam Aaron
August 07, 2024

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...

Written by Sam Aaron
August 05, 2024

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...

Written by Sam Aaron
July 25, 2024

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...

Written by William Morton
July 18, 2024

Carolinas Academic Leadership Network welcomes Bryce Fiedler as founding director

Carolinas Academic Leadership Network (CALN) proudly announces the appointment of Bryce Fiedler as its first Director. Fiedler, formerly a Senior Policy Analyst with the South Carolina Policy Council, brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to educational excellence and parental empowerment.

Written by Sam Aaron
July 16, 2024

Budget breakdown: Where SC taxpayers’ money is going in FY25

The dust has settled on South Carolina’s new budget following Governor McMaster's announcement of a relatively short list of vetoes in early July. The 21 vetoes, striking $2.3 million in earmark spending and nixing a handful of provisos, represent a small fraction of the overall budget and only marginally exceed...

Written by Bryce Fiedler
July 12, 2024

Judicial selections bill passes unanimously! (special session recap)

On Wednesday, S.C. lawmakers met in Columbia for what is likely the last day of the 2024 legislative session, sending the new state budget, a bill enhancing the judicial selection process, and other items passed out of conference committee to the governor’s desk.

Written by Sam Aaron
June 29, 2024

SCPC, partners host school board leader training in Columbia

Over the weekend, dozens of education leaders – including school board members, candidates and parents – joined the S.C. Policy Council (SCPC) in Columbia for a community event focused on student achievement, effective governance and the positive changes coming to K-12 education.

Written by Bryce Fiedler
June 24, 2024

Transparency check-in: Streaming at the Statehouse (2024)

Since 2022, the South Carolina Policy Council (SCPC) has annually tracked the livestreaming rates of state legislative committee meetings in an effort to encourage transparency. In this short time, we have seen a positive shift in consistency among several committees, some of which finished this year with perfect records.

Written by Sam Aaron
June 15, 2024

Analysis: SC’s contentious healthcare restructuring bill

If you have seen our weekly updates, read the local paper, or spent time on social media, you have probably heard about a contentious bill that would consolidate numerous health departments under a single executive agency. The measure (S.915) is the second phase of a two-part restructuring effort that began...

Written by Sam Aaron
May 31, 2024