Research

  • The need for spending relief: the 2025 SC Sustainable Budget

    By Bryce Fiedler and Vance Ginn, Ph.D. Thanks to a robust state economy, plentiful business opportunities, and a relatively low cost of living, South Carolina remains one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. To maintain this strong position and promote further growth, it is crucial for S.C. legislators to...
    Bryce Fiedler

    Written by
    January 11, 2024

  • Statehouse Update Jan 9-11

    Update 1/11/24: Several adjustments were made to this summary to reflect developments that occurred during the week. Hello! Year two of South Carolina’s 2023-24 legislative session starts today. To kick off the year, we are picking up where we left off with the Statehouse Update. Each week, SCPC brings you...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    January 09, 2024

  • SCPC's 2024 Roadmap to Reform

    Our mission: Since 1986, the S.C. Policy Council has existed to promote the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty and responsibility. We believe that advancing policies in line with this mission will help South Carolina reach its highest potential.  
    Bryce Fiedler

    Written by
    January 05, 2024

  • Elevating South Carolina: SCPC celebrates major achievements in 2023

    South Carolina witnessed historic progress in 2023, advancing policies backed by SCPC to expand educational freedom, improve access to healthcare, cut costs and bureaucratic red tape, and shed light on the actions of government. As the year comes to an end, we wanted to take a moment and reflect on...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    December 14, 2023

  • Important state budgetary law ignored once again

    More than one hundred planning documents for next year’s state budget are missing important data required by South Carolina law.
    Bryce Fiedler

    Written by
    December 09, 2023

  • Shedding light on South Carolina's murky corporate-welfare system

    South Carolina might be conservative, but is it a free-market state? It's an open question after the S.C. Legislature this year used $1.3 billion in public funds to recruit a single company, Scout Motors, to Richland County.
    Bryce Fiedler

    Written by
    December 01, 2023

  • Poll: SCPC readers strongly support key judicial, tax reforms

    What issues are important to South Carolinians? It's a question the S.C. Policy Council (SCPC) takes seriously. Recently, we surveyed our members for their input on key state issues ahead of the 2024 legislative session, which begins January 9. 
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    November 28, 2023

  • SC prosecutors give explosive testimony to House judicial study committee, back reform

    State prosecutors on Tuesday delivered explosive testimony to a House committee tasked with reviewing how South Carolina picks its judges, giving detailed accounts of actual or perceived favoritism, misbehavior and poor judgement they have witnessed or heard about. 
    Bryce Fiedler

    Written by
    November 17, 2023

  • Bad for business: South Carolina must reform its unfair civil liability system

    South Carolina is at risk of seeing fewer jobs and less economic growth if the S.C. General Assembly fails to address and reform the state’s civil liability system, which forces businesses to unfairly pay legal claims for damages they did not cause. 
    Bryce Fiedler

    Written by
    October 30, 2023

  • Universal school choice: a roadmap for South Carolina

    Update 10/27/23: School choice opponents on Thursday launched a legal challenge against South Carolina’s ESA program, seeking to deny students access to life-changing educational scholarships. Legislators crafted the program specifically to comply with the S.C. Constitution, which puts parents in charge of the scholarships, and provides funding entirely to student needs. We encourage a speedy court decision to uphold...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    October 24, 2023