South Carolina Policy Council

The South Carolina Policy Council (SCPC) is a limited-government think tank located in Columbia, South Carolina.[5] The organization's stated mission is "to promote the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty and responsibility in the state of South Carolina."[1] SCPC operates The Nerve, a news and investigative reporting website.[4][6]

South Carolina Policy Council
Motto"Identifying the barriers to freedom and empowering citizens to remove them."[1]
Founder(s)Thomas Roe
Established1986
PresidentAshley Landess[2]
BudgetRevenue: $830,674
Expenses: $821,033
(FYE December 2016)[3]
SubsidiariesThe Nerve[4]
Location
Columbia, South Carolina
Websitewww.scpolicycouncil.org www.thenerve.org

Issues

Government integrity

Since 2011 SCPC has contended that the main obstacle to free market reforms in South Carolina isn't a lack of public support but an unaccountable legislative elite whose goal is to preserve power.[7] In February 2013, SCPC filed a complaint against Bobby Harrell, South Carolina's Republican Speaker of the House. The complaint alleged that Harrell had committed a variety of abuses of office, including using public office for personal gain.[8] In October 2014, Harrell pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and resigned his position.[9]

Roll-call voting

SCPC is known for having originated the idea of mandatory roll-call voting in the South Carolina General Assembly (an idea then Rep. Nikki Haley used as the centerpiece of her campaign for governor)[10] and for its detailed explanations of policies and legislation on government restructuring, school choice, government spending, taxes, regulation, and health care.

Legislative power

SCPC has repeatedly criticized that South Carolina's government puts the lion's share of power in the hands of a few legislative leaders, meaning most of the state's citizens cannot vote for the people who hold power over them. "From education to road funding, from the judicial system to your electric bill, the important decisions are made by state lawmakers who represent only their districts. Most South Carolinians don’t vote for them – or even know their names."[11] The organization has drawn attention to the fact that the state's road funding system is run by a commission whose members are appointed by legislative leaders and who can't be held accountable by taxpayers or voters.[12]

Income disclosure

Citing South Carolina's loose disclosure laws that allow elected officials to receive private income from entities that benefit from those officials' influence and votes, the Policy Council began advocating mandatory income disclosure in 2008. In 2013 the group launched Project Conflict Watch, which offered lawmakers and constitutional officers the opportunity to voluntarily disclose their income sources.[13] In 2016 the legislature passed a bill, signed into law by Gov. Nikki Haley, that mandated disclosure for some payments, but the group criticized the law on the grounds that it contains several loopholes that will allow officials to get around the law.[14]

Health care

The Policy Council has opposed the Affordable Care Act and argued that, despite claims made by Gov. Haley and others, South Carolina has in fact expanded Medicaid by sharply increasing the number of people enrolled in the federal program.

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References
  1. "About Us". South Carolina Policy Council. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  2. "SC Policy Council president to address Aiken Republican Club". Aiken Standard. May 7, 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. "South Carolina Policy Council Education Foundation" (PDF). Foundation Center. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  4. Hutchins, Corey (May 16, 2014). "His boss helped start SC's biggest political scandal. Now, this reporter is covering it". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  5. "A new kind of 'think tank'". South Carolina Policy Council. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  6. Brundrett, Rick (November 10, 2014). "Do-nothing ethics committees". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  7. "Who Controls S.C. State Government?". SC Policy Council. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  8. Jackson, David (April 30, 2014). "South Carolina Republicans battle over ethics case". USA Today. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  9. Santaella, Tony (October 23, 2014). "S.C. House speaker admits misconduct, resigns". USA Today. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  10. Self, Jamie. "Gov. Haley blasts SC House for off-the-record voting". Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  11. "Who Runs South Carolina State Government?". The South Carolina Policy Council. 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  12. "REPORT: What to Do about South Carolina's Roads". The South Carolina Policy Council. 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  13. "Project Conflict Watch". The South Carolina Policy Council. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  14. "Income Disclosure Bill Becomes Law". The South Carolina Policy Council. 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
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