Understanding Inflation in South Carolina

Tax & Budget
Blog · December 3, 2025

Put simply, inflation is the rising price of goods and services. However, inflation is not just about price tags; it is about how price changes ripple through the economic system, impacting consumer behavior, business decisions, and overall economic activity. When inflation makes the news, we usually hear about one of three common indicators: the Consumer

Palmetto Promise Joins Amicus to Defend Nonprofits from IRS Overreach

Quality of Life
Blog · December 1, 2025

State Policy Network filed an amicus brief with more than 30 organizations (including Palmetto Promise Institute) in support of The Buckeye Institute v. Internal Revenue Service—a case challenging a decades-old federal law that forces nonprofits to hand over the names and addresses of their largest donors to the IRS each year. The brief argues that

Palmetto Promise Stands for the First and Second Amendments, Joins Amicus Brief

Quality of Life
Blog · November 24, 2025

Palmetto Promise Institute is a co-amici in the following brief, filed in NRA v. Vullo.  Advancing American Freedom, leading a coalition of 52 amici, filed an amicus brief in NRA v. Vullo, urging the Supreme Court to hear the case. In this case, the New York government pressured insurance companies to drop coverage of insurance plans

The Empty Horse: The Threat to SC Homeschooling That Isn’t

Education
Blog · November 21, 2025

This op-ed was originally published in FitsNews. Recently, an article published in FITSNews argued that the creation of what is essentially an “Option 4” method of homeschooling in South Carolina through the passage of S.62, is a Trojan Horse that opens the door to increased state regulation of all existing homeschooling in the Palmetto State. But I am pleased

Five Takeaways From South Carolina’s New ESA Program Application Data

Education
Blog · November 21, 2025

After months of uncertainty and determined advocacy from families across the state, South Carolina’s restored and expanded ESA program, the Education Scholarship Trust Fund, is back—and rising stronger than ever for 2025–26. When parents spoke up, lawmakers listened and passed S.62, which Governor McMaster signed into law May 7, 2025. Just a week later, ESTF

Reflections and Highlights from the 2025 ExcelinEd Summit

Education
Blog · November 20, 2025

This past week, I was fortunate enough to attend the National Summit on Education, hosted by the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd). This conference is the preeminent collection of education policy experts in the country, with nearly every state represented by some number of policymakers, advocates, and education vendors. This year, about 1,500 people

Pharmacists Stand Ready to Relieve Pressure on South Carolina’s Healthcare System

Healthcare
Blog · November 18, 2025

In South Carolina, where patients often drive far and wait weeks to see a doctor, the answer to faster, cheaper care may be standing behind the pharmacy counter.   The United Health Foundation found that, in 2023, 31.8% of people in South Carolina live in rural areas, which is higher than the national average of 20.4%.

Freedom notes USA: South Carolina goes farther with charters

Education
Blog · November 17, 2025

Palmetto Promise’s Director of Education Policy, Ryan Dellinger, was quoted in this piece by our State Policy Network colleagues at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. South Carolina charter schools overperform A new study of state education records indicates that South Carolina charter schools are substantially outperforming traditional schools in preparing students for college and

Partial Victory, Not Full Justice: What 2025 Lawsuit Reform Legislation Got Right—and What South Carolina Still Must Fix

Quality of Life
Blog · November 11, 2025

After years of false starts, heated hearings, and last-minute negotiations, South Carolina has finally passed lawsuit reform. Governor Henry McMaster signed H.3430 into law in May 2025, calling it “landmark tort reform.”  This legislation is, indeed, a milestone. For the first time in two decades, the General Assembly has tackled not just liquor liability but

Proof of Promise: Data Suggests Charter Schools Are Preparing Students for Life Beyond the Classroom

Education
Blog · November 11, 2025

Palmetto Promise Institute recently published a blog highlighting the release of the 2025 South Carolina school report cards.  Overall, the results were promising—more schools moved up the grading scale, and academic performance across the state improved.  With this in mind, PPI would like to take a deeper dive into the data and explore specifically how