A Win for South Carolina Jobs: Buy American Iron and Steel Act Signed Into Law

Quality of Life
Blog · July 15, 2026
structural steel, steel bar, probation, steel bar, steel bar, steel bar, steel bar, steel bar, probation

The State of South Carolina just made a strong statement in favor of American manufacturing.   H.4709, the Buy American Iron and Steel Act, passed both chambers of the South Carolina General Assembly and has been signed by the Governor. This legislation mandates the use of iron and steel manufactured in America for public work projects funded by the state treasury. The notion behind the legislation is rather simple, but it has the

Santee Cooper’s Debt is Still Shaping South Carolina’s Power Bills

Energy
Blog · July 15, 2026
power plant, nuclear power, nuclear power plant, atomic energy, nuclear, energy, nuclear energy, nuclear reactor, electricity, reactor, power supply, radioactivity, industry, radiation, radioactive, uranium, cooling tower, steam, energy production

  On July 31, 2017, construction was halted on the V.C. Summer Units II and III nuclear expansion project in Fairfield County. One of the entities responsible for the project’s failure was South Carolina’s state-owned utility, Santee Cooper. After the debacle, Santee Cooper and its V.C. Summer co-owner, SCE&G (now subsumed by Dominion Energy) assumed billions in debt from the failure of the project. SCE&G turned to ratepayers and to Investor-Owned Utility (IOU) Dominion to

WIS-TV: New Law Aims to Make Medical Bills Easier to Understand

Healthcare
Blog · July 8, 2026

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – South Carolina patients will soon have greater access to detailed information about their medical expenses under a new state law aimed at increasing transparency in health care billing. Click here to view the full broadcast. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, hospitals and other health care facilities across South Carolina will be required

Missed Opportunity: Alcohol Delivery, DUI Reform, and Civil Justice Bills Fail

Quality of Life
Blog · June 30, 2026

Impaired driving is a serious issue in South Carolina. South Carolina leads the nation in the number of fatalities resulting from drunk driving, with 6.92 deaths per 100,000 citizens, according to federal highway data. This tragic statistic should not be taken lightly. A viable solution may lie in bills like H.3857, S.849, and S.52, which

Education Funding Civil War Averted in 2026, But Formula Needs Work

Education
Blog · June 30, 2026
bank, money, bills, notes

The following article originally appeared in the Post & Courier. As the 2025 General Assembly headed out the door, emotions in the public education community were raw. A conflict over funding between traditional public school districts and statewide public charter districts led to a Band-Aid that left neither side happy. As the 2026 General Assembly

2026 Statewide Runoff Results

Blog · June 23, 2026

South Carolina voters went back to the polls yesterday for various Democratic and Republican Runoffs.  We have compiled a complete list of election results as of 11:30 on Tuesday, June 23, and we will continue to update the tallies until returns are final. I = Incumbent X = Winner   State Leadership Results Governor Republican

Palmetto Promise Moderates Congressional District 1 Debate

Quality of Life
Blog · June 19, 2026

I recently joined Live 5 News to help moderate the runoff debate for Congressional District 1 between Mark Smith and Jenny Costa Honeycutt.  The candidates tackled a number of tough issues facing South Carolina and the United States, including housing affordability, the future of Social Security, parental rights, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).

SC college degree programs under the microscope

Education
Blog · June 19, 2026

In this article, originally published in the South Carolina Daily Gazette, I discuss how South Carolina ensures that our higher education degree programs are delivering meaningful, high-quality education through regular program review by the Commission on Higher Education and the colleges themselves. Columbia, S.C. (SC Daily Gazette) – Suddenly, one of the most pressing issues