NEW REPORT: Small Modular Reactors – an Answer to South Carolina’s Energy Crisis?

Energy
Blog · July 15, 2024

We are excited to share our latest energy report, which looks at the possibility of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as a solution to what is undoubtedly an energy crisis in South Carolina. DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT. What is the current state of energy in South Carolina? South Carolina’s energy status is characterized by outrageous costs

Livestream Report: Which School Districts Provide Real-Time Access to the Public’s Business?

Education
Blog · July 11, 2024

In the 2023-24 legislative session, Senator and Education Committee Chair Greg Hembree (R-Horry) introduced S.134, a bill that would require South Carolina school boards to livestream their meetings or make them otherwise electronically accessible in real-time.[1] The bill passed the Senate unanimously in early 2023 but unfortunately died in the House, after waiting an entire

Palmetto Promise Named Finalist for National Award – Cast Your Vote!

Education
Blog · July 1, 2024

The Palmetto Promise team is pleased to announce that we have been named a finalist for a national Communications Excellence award for the work we did spreading the word about South Carolina’s Education Scholarship Accounts! Out of 63 State Policy Network (SPN) affiliates, we were selected as one of three finalists for the Communications Excellence:

Historic Judicial Reform Bill Headed to the Governor – Here’s What It Does

Quality of Life
Blog · June 28, 2024

Late in the day June 26, the Conference Committee on S.1046, South Carolina’s judicial reform bill, reached an agreement on the final text to be sent to the Governor. Shortly thereafter, both legislative chambers approved the conference report unanimously. The bill now goes to Governor McMaster’s desk, where he is expected to sign it into

South Carolina lawmakers send judicial reform measure to governor

Quality of Life
Blog · June 27, 2024

Palmetto Promise Policy Analyst Felicity Ropp is quoted in this article from the Center Square by Todd DeFeo. (The Center Square) — South Carolina lawmakers have approved a version of a judicial reform measure following months of back-and-forth debate. S. 1046, passed during this month’s special session, ostensibly increases transparency and accountability by changing how

Palmetto Promise Hosts Successful School Board Training Event

Education
Blog · June 26, 2024

Palmetto Promise Institute hosted a successful training event for school board members, candidates, and community leaders on Saturday, June 22, in partnership with the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network. The room was packed with attendees from across the state, all passionate about improving our education system and bringing innovative solutions to the table. Our speakers covered

TPPF Announces Coalition of State-Based Think Tanks in Support of Americans’ Online Privacy Rights

Quality of Life
Blog · June 25, 2024
Person s hands on top of macbook air

This press release was originally published by the Texas Public Policy Foundation on June 17, 2024. AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation and other state-based think tanks sent a coalition letter to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce stating their support for the spirit of the American Privacy Rights Act of

Introducing our 2024 Junior Policy Scholars

Blog · June 24, 2024

We are thrilled to announce a new Palmetto Promise Institute program this summer: the Junior Policy Scholars. The Junior Policy Scholar program, while newly named, is not new to Palmetto Promise. We have long taken talented high school students as interns and worked with them to develop remote internships and publish their pieces on our

Victory for Taxpayers – Individual Income Tax Rate Cut Again!

Tax & Budget
Blog · June 24, 2024

Since 2017, Palmetto Promise Institute has been sounding the alarm that our South Carolina tax code is unfair, uncompetitive and imbalanced. In 2019, we took our claims to the next level by commissioning and releasing an econometric tax study by the foremost independent economist in South Carolina, Dr. Rebecca Gunnlaugsson.   Turns out we were right!