It was another busy and productive few weeks in Columbia as we kept pushing forward solutions that matter to you, cutting taxes, supporting families, and keeping our communities and law enforcement safe. Here’s a quick look at what we got done and how it impacts South Carolina.
Four Major Sumter Milestones
What a day in Sumter!
— schousespeaker (@schousespeaker) March 23, 2026
Four major milestones:
✔️ YMCA Senior Center ribbon cutting
✔️ Elevated Water Tank ribbon cutting
✔️ Tuskegee Airmen Monument unveiling
✔️ Topping Off Ceremony at the Sumter Opera House
From investing in quality of life, to building critical… pic.twitter.com/4rPi8yrJPK
From investing in quality of life, to building critical infrastructure, to honoring true American heroes — Sumter is on the move and growing in all the right ways. Proud to be part of a city and county that continues to invest in its people, its future, and its values. What a day in Sumter!
It was great to join the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Community Engagement Meeting earlier this month. I had the opportunity to provide an update on the work taking place in the House this session and, just as importantly, hear valuable feedback directly from members of the community. These conversations are critical to ensuring we stay focused on the issues that matter most to the people we serve.
I officially filed for re-election to continue serving the people of Sumter and District 67. It is truly an honor to represent you, and I’m grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me.
As your Representative, we’ve focused on the right priorities — keeping South Carolina affordable, supporting families, and creating more opportunity. And we’re seeing real results, not just across our state, but right here at home. New data shows the Sumter region ranks #1 in employment growth, with a 5.5% year-over-year increase. That means more jobs, more opportunity, and real momentum for our community. Across South Carolina, personal income has grown by nearly 6%, among the fastest in the nation, while our state continues to lead in GDP growth and see unemployment decline.
But there’s more to do. I’m running for re-election to keep that momentum going and continue delivering for the people of Sumter. Thank you for the opportunity to serve, it means a great deal to represent this community, and I’ll keep working hard for you and your family.
I had a great meeting with Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement. For over 40 years, they have played a vital role in recruiting, supporting, and developing outstanding teachers, impacting classrooms in every corner of our state. Supporting educators remains a top priority in South Carolina, and we are grateful for the important work they continue to do for our students and schools.
It was great to join BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina for their annual legislative softball game last month. I had the chance to give a quick pep talk to the “House Amenders” before the game and it must have worked, because we came away with a win over the Senate Filibusters! Always a fun opportunity to connect with colleagues and partners outside the State House while enjoying a little friendly competition.
I was proud to join partners from the University of South Carolina to celebrate an exciting step forward for nuclear energy in South Carolina. This effort goes beyond a single initiative, it reflects a coordinated strategy to align education, workforce development, and industry so our state is prepared to meet growing energy demands. With real opportunity on the horizon, we are focused on building a strong, skilled workforce to support this critical sector. South Carolina is not just preparing to participate in the future of nuclear energy, we are positioning ourselves to lead it!
It was a pleasure to welcome outstanding educators and students from Liberty STEAM Charter School to the State House last week. We had the opportunity to recognize these award-winning teachers and dedicated staff from the House floor, celebrating the innovation and commitment they bring to education in our state.
I also enjoyed meeting with nearly 30 students, along with recognizing military-connected students during South Carolina’s Month of the Military Child. It’s always encouraging to see young leaders engaged in the legislative process, and I hope they all enjoyed their visit to the Statehouse.
It was an honor to welcome German Minister President of Bavaria Markus Söder and his delegation to the South Carolina House chamber last week with the Department of Commerce. Germany remains one of South Carolina’s most important economic partners, with 271 companies employing more than 44,000 South Carolinians and investing over $10.7 billion across our state. This partnership continues to drive jobs, innovation, and opportunity across South Carolina. Thank you for your visit!
| Keeping Out Communities Safe🚔 Public safety remains a top priority, and last week we took meaningful action to strengthen it. The House passed the Immigration Enforcement Partnership Act (H.4764), a commonsense measure that enhances coordination between state and federal authorities. By strengthening 287(g) partnerships and equipping local law enforcement with clear tools, training, and authority, this legislation ensures more consistent enforcement across South Carolina. It empowers officers to work alongside federal partners and ICE to identify and process individuals in the country illegally who have been charged with crimes, helping uphold the rule of law and keep our communities safe. Backed by the White House, this effort reinforces our commitment to removing dangerous individuals from our streets while supporting the officers who protect our communities every day. 🐶 The House also passed “Fargo, Hyco, Rico, Coba, Wick, Mikka, and Bumi’s Law” (H.3034), strengthening protections for K9 officers and horses that serve alongside law enforcement. These animals are not just companions, they are highly trained officers that track dangerous criminals, protect their handlers, and help keep our communities safe every day. Originally inspired by Fargo, a K9 officer and partner to Officer Warren Cavanagh, this legislation reflects years of advocacy to ensure these brave animals are properly protected under the law. It increases penalties for those who harm or kill a police animal, making these offenses felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison, along with significant fines and full restitution for the cost of replacing and training the animal. This bill now heads to the Senate, another step toward ensuring South Carolina stands firmly with law enforcement and protects those who protect us. 🚫 In addition, the House passed H.4804, strengthening penalties for the sexual exploitation of a minor. This bill closes dangerous loopholes, increases minimum sentences, and ensures repeat offenders face mandatory prison time. Protecting children is not optional, it is our responsibility, and we are making sure those who exploit minors are held fully accountable. 🚜 We also continued advancing legislation to protect South Carolina land and security (H.3408) by preventing foreign adversaries from purchasing or controlling property in our state. This is about safeguarding our farmland, our infrastructure, and our future from those who do not have our best interests at heart. 🚨 Legislation cracking down on illegal street takeovers (H.4292) passed out of the Judiciary Committee, addressing a growing threat to communities across our state. These reckless events shut down roads, endanger families, and put law enforcement at risk. This bill gives officers the tools they need to prevent and break up these dangerous gatherings, restoring order and protecting our communities.Affordability & Tax Relief🚤 One of the biggest wins last week was the passage of the South Carolina Boat Tax Act (H.3858). South Carolina is one of the top boating states in America, but for too long, we’ve had the highest boat taxes in the nation. This legislation cuts boat property taxes nearly in half, eliminates double taxation on boat motors, and simplifies the process into one easy payment. This is about fairness and freedom, making it more affordable for families to enjoy our lakes and coast without being penalized by excessive taxes. 💵 Last week, we also took meaningful steps to make life more affordable and improve our state’s infrastructure. The House passed the Insurance Rate Reduction and Policyholder Protection Act (H.4817) a major step toward lowering insurance costs. This bill cracks down on fraud and abuse that drive up premiums, increases transparency and accountability for insurance companies, and helps homeowners take steps to reduce risk and lower costs. The goal is simple: fair, affordable insurance for all South Carolinians. 👶 The House Ways and Means Committee advanced the Pregnancy Care Tax Credit (S.32), which encourages donations to pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, and organizations that support expecting mothers. These groups provide real, on-the-ground help, from counseling to essential supplies, and this legislation ensures they have the resources to continue supporting women and families across our state. It’s about strengthening communities and making sure no one walks through pregnancy alone. 🎖️ Another important step forward was the House’s passage of H.4799, a commonsense cleanup bill that cuts red tape and improves access to care for our veterans. This legislation removes unnecessary regulatory barriers by exempting veterans homes from the Certificate of Need process, allowing facilities to be built and expanded more quickly and at a lower cost. For veterans and their families, that means faster access to the care they have earned without delays caused by bureaucratic hurdles.Protecting Children & Strengthening Schools🏫 We also made important progress in education and protecting our students. The House unanimously passed the Tenure Accountability Act (H.4761), bringing consistent, commonsense standards to our public colleges and universities. This legislation requires annual faculty evaluations and regular post-tenure reviews, ensuring a stronger focus on teaching, performance, and results. By increasing transparency and accountability, this bill helps ensure students receive a high-quality education and taxpayers can have confidence in how their dollars are being used. 📱 We also passed H.4591, the Stop Harm from Addictive Social Media (SHASM) Act, putting new safeguards in place to protect children online. This legislation targets the addictive features that keep kids glued to their screens, like endless scrolling, autoplay videos, and late-night notifications, while requiring age verification and strengthening default protections for minors. Just as importantly, it puts parents back in control by giving them tools like screen time limits and the ability to restrict algorithm-driven content. ♥️ We also passed the Smart Heart Act (H.3831) and sent it to the Governor, ensuring schools are prepared to respond in life-threatening emergencies. By requiring that AEDs are accessible within a three-minute response time and that staff are properly trained, this bill addresses a critical gap in emergency preparedness. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death on school campuses, and this legislation will help save lives by ensuring help is always within reach. |
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