Our state’s civil justice statutes are in dire need of reform—on many levels.    But specifically, it is our system of modified comparative negligence that is often so scandalously unjust. “Nuclear” outcomes have become common, especially in venues like Richland County, where eight-figure verdicts have become routine in recent years. In 2024, a jury awarded a

Regulatory review and consolidation have become a hot topic in the South Carolina Statehouse, particularly as they pertain to our state’s small businesses. This is welcome, because, in 2022, South Carolina was home to 463,549 small businesses, accounting for 99.4% of the state’s businesses. One effort to ensure our state’s business climate is friendly for

Palmetto Promise’s report Sandlapper Shakedown is cited in this piece originally published in Forbes. South Carolina has been among the most successful states recently in attracting individuals, families, and employers from other states. In fact, last year the Palmetto State’s population grew faster than all 49 other states. State lawmakers in South Carolina and Governor

South Carolina is leading the nation in economic freedom and in resistance to federal government overreach, at least according to two new comprehensive rankings. A brand new report from the State Policy Network’s Center for Practical Federalism ranked South Carolina #4 in the nation on its Federalism Scorecard. This means that South Carolina outshines most

The lawsuit industry in South Carolina is out of control. Drive down any highway in our state, and you’ll see it lined with billboards for trial lawyers. The sheer quantity are a clear sign that something in our state is sorely wrong. Businesses with as little as 1% of fault are paying 100% of the

If you’ve read or watched the news in South Carolina in the last few years, you likely have noticed a strange and disconcerting phenomenon: scores of restaurants, bars, and music venues have announced their closures. From the iconic Smiley’s Acoustic Cafe in Greenville to Henry’s of Cayce, long-established businesses in the state have been shutting

Senior Fellow Dr. Oran Smith was interviewed for this article, originally published in American Family News. An annual report from U-Haul suggests most Americans who moved last year settled in the South, continuing an annual trend, but a new southern state now tops the list. The line of moving trucks fleeing California and New York

This morning, South Carolina’s new Chief Justice John Kittredge released a new administrative order that brings long-awaited reform to South Carolina’s magistrate court system and shuts down potential for conflict of interest in magistrates’ rulings on cases involving lawyer-legislators. Palmetto Promise has written extensively over the last few years about the need for reform in

South Carolina is recognized nationwide as a state that emphasizes the importance of free enterprise. Businesses are attracted by our competitive tax incentives, the ability of our technical colleges to provide a skilled workforce, and our strong right-to-work culture. But economic development incentives used to lure businesses into the state—often tax breaks—are not open-ended. It

The food industry has evolved over the past decade to make room for its newest competitor: the food truck. This innovation has gained a massive audience, with food trucks found in cities of all sizes and many small towns. Entrepreneurs and chiefs have embraced this new culinary adventure as a way of opening their very