Quality of Life

"Quality of life” means ensuring that all South Carolinians have full access to the blessings of life, liberty, and the fruits of their own labor. This means pursuing equal justice under the law and breaking down government-sponsored barriers to work wherever they exist…among many other important issues. We proudly stand for equal opportunity as the path to a free and flourishing South Carolina.

The Latest

Blog
November 18, 2024

Food Truck Freedom: A New Era in Culinary Mobility

Mercy Fletcher

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

Blog
November 5, 2024

Status Report: 2024 Election Security in South Carolina

Palmetto Promise Team

Happy Election Day, South Carolina! This is one of the most important days in our nation, where we the people, have the opportunity to make our voices heard and cast our ballots for who we want to represent us and lead our country, state, and community. Voting is a right and privilege we should never

Blog
October 9, 2024

Unfinished Business: The Case for Magistrate Selection Reform in South Carolina

Mercy Fletcher

On July 2, 2024, Governor McMaster signed S.1046 into law. This legislation reforms the process by which South Carolina selects its state judges. Well, most of them. Our declaration of only partial victory is not meant to take away from the fact that S.1046 was indeed a substantial step in the right direction towards full

Blog
September 9, 2024

Civil Asset Forfeiture: Explanatory Stories and Essential Sources

Palmetto Promise Team

Mikee Albin was a 65-year-old Vietnam veteran. He was living in an RV in the parking lot of the restaurant he ran, hoping to build up the business and achieve the American dream of entrepreneurship and homeownership. But his dream was sidetracked…badly sidetracked. Following an undercover investigation at his restaurant, where it was determined that

Blog
September 5, 2024

Local Election Turnout is Shockingly Low. That Must Change.

Morgan Weiner

South Carolina localities have little to no statutory guidelines regarding when local elections are allowed, which has led to a much smaller voter turnout than the typical statewide general election. But local elections hold just as much importance, if not more, than statewide elections. There, citizens have the chance to vote for the officials that

Blog
August 29, 2024

The Challenges of Artificial Intelligence: A South Carolina Response

Jennifer Buckley

According to Pew research, 90% of Americans claim to have some awareness of AI. That is not surprising, as the term went from unknown to ubiquitous in only three years. Or was it three weeks? Yet, that same Pew survey found that only one-in-three respondents claim to have heard a lot about it.  Artificial Intelligence

Blog
July 22, 2024

South Carolina, The New Frontier for Tech? Here’s How to Make It Happen

Jennifer Buckley

American entrepreneurship, once legendary, is on the decline. The United States Joint Economic Committee reports that since the 1970s entrepreneurship has diminished across multiple different measures, including business formation. One reason for the reduction in business start-ups is the increasingly complex regulatory environment that government has introduced in the past few years. Small businesses are

Blog
June 28, 2024

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

Felicity Ropp

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

Blog
June 27, 2024

South Carolina lawmakers send judicial reform measure to governor

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