Henry McMaster

McMaster signed Senate Bill 819 into law on May 22, 2026, following passage through both chambers of the South Carolina legislature. The legislation modernizes tuberculosis screening requirements for nursing homes and community residential care facilities by allowing applicants with documented negative TB screenings to begin employment sooner while maintaining follow-up testing and adherence to CDC and state health department guidelines. The law, codified as Section 44-31-45 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, was developed collaboratively between LeadingAge South Carolina, lawmakers, healthcare leaders, and the South Carolina Department of Public Health.

McMaster signed the Monument and Memorial Protection Act on May 19, 2026, expanding protections for monuments and memorials throughout South Carolina. The legislation prohibits the alteration or removal of nearly all monuments in the state, including statues honoring individuals who played significant roles in historical developments, and requires General Assembly approval for any local government modifications. The expanded Heritage Act follows the 2020 removal of a John C. Calhoun statue from Marion Square in Charleston and years of advocacy from conservative groups.

McMaster called a special session that resulted in the South Carolina House of Representatives voting 74-37 at 12:39 a.m. on May 20 to redraw congressional district maps. The redistricting plan altered the boundaries of the district represented by Democratic congressman Jim Clyburn. The vote concluded days of debate during which Democrats pursued procedural delays through 618 amendments.

McMaster signed legislation on Tuesday that allows renters in South Carolina to have eviction records and filings removed from the public index after seven years have passed. The law enables tenants with settled eviction issues to petition for the removal of these records from public access. The measure was sponsored by State House Representative Carla Schuessler and supported by housing advocates who cited the barriers that eviction records create for renters seeking housing.

Governor McMaster appointed Dr. Brannon Traxler as temporary director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health following the departure of interim director Dr. Ed Simmer. The appointment drew criticism from members of the House Freedom Caucus and other conservative lawmakers who sought her removal, with more than 33 state House members signing a resolution calling for her replacement with a candidate they characterized as having different policy positions. Traxler's appointment represented a continuation of leadership at the agency that some lawmakers had sought to change.

McMaster issued an executive order that recalled the South Carolina General Assembly into special session to consider mid-cycle redistricting of the state's congressional map. The action was taken in advance of the 2026 primary election scheduled for June 9, which would determine candidates for one Senate seat, all seven U.S. House seats, and the governorship. The special session was convened to address the possibility that congressional primary elections could be delayed pending the outcome of redistricting deliberations.

McMaster announced on late Wednesday that he would call the Legislature into a special session, which allowed legislative negotiations on pending bills to proceed. The announcement preserved consideration of a charter school regulation bill that had been negotiated between Senate Education Chair Greg Hembree and House counterpart Shannon Erickson, which included provisions to regulate charter school authorizers and restrict charter management companies. The special session decision enabled passage of approximately thirty bills that had been stalled in different forms between the two chambers.

McMaster called state lawmakers back for a special session in May 2026 to reconsider South Carolina's congressional map. The governor stated that redrawing the districts could result in better representation and a more functioning Congress, citing concerns about narrow legislative margins and political polarization in Washington. McMaster indicated that aligning state representation with a particular political perspective would benefit governance at both state and federal levels.

McMaster ordered the South Carolina General Assembly to convene in a special session following the conclusion of the regular legislative calendar to address congressional redistricting. The special session was called to allow lawmakers to consider and pass a redrawn congressional map. The House reconvened on May 15, 2026, at 11 a.m. to undertake this redistricting work.

Governor McMaster named Dr. Brannon Traxler as acting director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health on Friday, May 15, 2026, following the departure of interim director Dr. Edward Simmer. Traxler, who has 18 years of experience in medicine and public health, previously served as the department's chief medical officer and deputy director of health and services, and held multiple positions at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control before it dissolved in 2024. Traxler will serve as acting director until a permanent director is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the South Carolina Senate.

Governor McMaster submitted South Carolina's response to the U.S. Department of Energy's request for information regarding potential locations for a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, highlighting the state's existing nuclear infrastructure including the Savannah River Site, Savannah River National Laboratory, seven operating reactors, and the V.C. Summer Plant under completion in Fairfield County. McMaster's letter to Secretary of Energy Chris Wright emphasized South Carolina's workforce concentration in nuclear industries, advanced manufacturing capabilities, technical college system, and university nuclear engineering programs as qualifications for hosting the campus. The proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus would support fuel fabrication, enrichment, reprocessing used nuclear fuel, waste disposition, and potentially advanced reactor deployment and power generation.

Governor McMaster's office confirmed that Dr. Ed Simmer was removed from his position as interim director of South Carolina's Department of Public Health on May 14, 2026, the final day of the legislative session. Simmer's removal occurred because the General Assembly did not confirm him during the session, and state law prohibits interim appointees from continuing to serve after the legislative session ends without confirmation. McMaster's office subsequently appointed Brannon Traxler, deputy director of health promotion and services with the Department of Public Health, as the new interim director on May 15.

Governor McMaster called the South Carolina legislature back to Columbia for a special session to address mid-decade redistricting. The special session was scheduled following the regular legislative session that concluded on May 14, 2026. The session was convened to allow lawmakers to consider and potentially adopt a new redistricting map.

McMaster announced South Carolina's participation in "A Home for Every Child," a national initiative led by the U.S. Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program aims to increase the ratio of available licensed foster homes to children in foster care and reduce entries into the foster care system through prevention services and family preservation practices. McMaster stated the state's commitment to supporting foster parents, strengthening community-based prevention services, and improving family preservation practices statewide.

The South Carolina House and Senate reached a compromise on legislation to reform the state Department of Transportation, sending the bill to Governor McMaster in May 2026. The reform package abolishes the DOT commission and converts the state highway commissioner position to a gubernatorial appointee, implements stronger audit practices to increase agency financial transparency, and eliminates the legislative approval requirement for construction of toll lanes. McMaster had not yet signed or vetoed the legislation at the time of the article's publication.

McMaster was expected to call a special legislative session to consider redrawing South Carolina's congressional district lines after the state Senate rejected a House redistricting effort on May 13, 2026. The special session would convene after the regular legislative session adjourned on May 14, marking the first special session since 2023. McMaster's office declined to comment on the announcement, though he had previously stated that redistricting was the General Assembly's responsibility.

Governor McMaster announced that he would not call lawmakers back into a special legislative session to redraw South Carolina's congressional districts, citing concerns about the timing relative to the June 9 primary elections and the fact that military and overseas ballots for those races had already been distributed. McMaster's decision temporarily halted a Republican effort to redraw the state's only Democratic congressional district, though House Republicans later revived the redistricting push by passing a resolution to authorize a special session. Senate Republicans subsequently expressed concerns that the proposed redistricting map could endanger the state's six safe Republican U.S. House seats rather than strengthen them.

McMaster received the South Carolina Land Trust Network's first Palmetto Conservation Leadership Award in recognition of his conservation record as governor. His administration increased funding for the South Carolina Conservation Bank, created the Office of Resilience, signed the 2024 Working Agricultural Lands Preservation Act, and oversaw the protection of more than 385,000 acres since 2017, including projects such as Black River State Park and the protection of Waties Island. McMaster also supported the state's consideration of $37 million in funding to acquire and permanently protect Captain Sams Spit at Kiawah Island.

Following the U.S. Department of Justice's April 23, 2026 reclassification of medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, South Carolina's 1980 controlled substances therapeutic research program statute became operative, establishing a medical marijuana program in the state Department of Public Health. The law, which had remained dormant for 46 years, mandated the distribution of marijuana to cancer chemotherapy, radiology, and glaucoma patients certified under its terms. Governor McMaster's office confirmed through a spokesperson that the federal rescheduling would trigger a state reclassification, though the governor did not issue a public statement on the matter.

McMaster's office confirmed on May 4, 2026, that the governor did not anticipate calling a special legislative session to redraw South Carolina's congressional districts. The decision came amid pressure from President Trump and national Republicans to pursue mid-decade redistricting following a Supreme Court ruling. Without a special session called by McMaster, state lawmakers were unlikely to take up redistricting that year, distinguishing his position from other Republican governors who pursued map redrawing during the same period.

The South Carolina House of Representatives approved a highway reform bill that modified the Senate version by placing control of the Department of Transportation under the governor's office and eliminating a proposed coordinating commission. The bill, which addresses long-standing inefficiencies in the state's road management system, still requires Senate approval of the House amendments and gubernatorial signature before becoming law. Major provisions in the revised bill include authorization for tolled "choice" lanes on heavily trafficked routes and implementation of design-build project management methods for road construction.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster issued an emergency executive order to expedite the replacement of the Old Vaucluse Road overpass bridge in Aiken County following its collapse on June 14, 2025, after being struck by a gasoline tanker. The South Carolina Department of Transportation subsequently received an $8 million federal grant in October 2025 toward the bridge replacement project. Construction crews began work on the replacement in March 2026, with completion expected by May 21, 2026.

McMaster signed the Prothonotary Warbler Recognition Act in April 2026, officially designating the Prothonotary Warbler as South Carolina's state migratory bird. The legislation was signed at a ceremonial event at the Francis Beidler Forest, home to the largest remaining old-growth Cypress-Tupelo swamp in the world. The act aims to conserve the state's natural heritage and the wetland habitats that migratory birds depend on for nesting and survival.

McMaster signed into law a bill sponsored by South Carolina Rep. Gary Brewer that reduced property taxes on boats from 10.5 percent to 6 percent and eliminated double taxation on boat motors. The legislation passed with nearly unanimous support in the General Assembly from both Republicans and Democrats. The change brought South Carolina's boat property tax rate into alignment with other states, as the previous rate had been the highest in the nation.

Governor Henry McMaster requested that the state inspector general open an investigation into the school board of Ascent Classical Academy in Fort Mill on April 13, 2026, following a complaint from state representatives Shannon Erickson and David Martin regarding financial irregularities and institutional mismanagement. The investigation was initiated after the charter school's governance collapsed, prompting its authorizer, the Charter Institute at Erskine, to assume control of the school to prevent closure. Inspector General Brian Lamkin confirmed his office was planning to conduct the investigation into the board's operations.

McMaster's administration oversaw legislative efforts to raise teacher salaries from $30,000 in 2017 to $48,500 as of the article's writing, with planned increases to $50,500 for the following school year. The Legislature passed the Educator Assistance Act under McMaster's leadership, which simplified teacher certificate renewals, guaranteed planning time, required districts to disclose expected salaries before contract signing, and removed penalties for teachers who relocated or took career breaks. Despite these measures reducing teacher vacancies from 1,613 in 2023 to 704 in the current school year, South Carolina still faces staffing shortages that could potentially be addressed through joining the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact.

The South Carolina House passed H.B. 4767, legislation that would require all local law enforcement agencies operating jails or detention centers to enter into cooperation agreements with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement under its 287(g) program. The bill mandates that agencies at minimum turn over individuals suspected of crimes whom they identify as undocumented to federal immigration officials, with options for higher-level cooperation including field work assistance. The legislation requires approval by the South Carolina Senate and signature by Governor Henry McMaster to become law.

McMaster announced that he could not support a gas tax pause proposal under consideration during the legislative session. The governor's position was communicated as the South Carolina General Assembly continued deliberations on fiscal measures in Week 12 of the session. McMaster's statement indicated his view on the proposed temporary suspension of the state gas tax.

McMaster signed legislation reducing South Carolina's income tax and boat tax. The bills were passed by the House and Senate during the twelfth week of the 2026 legislative session. The governor's action on these tax measures occurred as the state legislature continued work toward the May 14 sine die deadline.

The South Carolina Election Commission voted unanimously on March 25, 2026, to appoint Conway Belangia, Greenville County's elections director of 34 years, as executive director of the state election office. Belangia, who has served as an elections official for more than four decades, will serve as the state's chief election official and oversee the agency's day-to-day operations, subject to Senate approval. The appointment followed the withdrawal of interim director Jenny Wooten from consideration for the permanent role due to insufficient experience under state-mandated requirements.

Governor McMaster vetoed S.1020, a bill introduced by Senator Carlisle Kennedy that would have required school board candidates in three Lexington County districts to run in partisan elections, citing procedural problems with single-county bills. The veto occurred in 2022 following a similar Lancaster County bill with identical procedural issues. McMaster's action prevented the implementation of mandatory partisan primary elections for school board candidates in those districts.

The Helping Alleviate Lawful Obstruction Act, which establishes a 25-foot buffer zone around first responders and creates criminal penalties of up to 60 days in jail for individuals who fail to comply with orders to maintain that distance, advanced through both chambers of the South Carolina legislature with minimal opposition. The bill received 18 opposing votes in the House and zero in the Senate before proceeding to Governor McMaster's desk for signature or veto. Critics raised concerns that the legislation could criminalize bystanders and journalists recording police activity, while supporters characterized it as a protective measure for law enforcement and other first responders.

South Carolina lawmakers passed legislation reducing the property tax rate on boats from 10.5 percent to 6 percent, providing boat owners approximately $40 million in tax relief. The bill also consolidated separate taxes on boats and outboard motors into a single tax assessment. The measure awaits Governor McMaster's signature after passing both chambers of the state legislature.

Governor Henry McMaster welcomed NSP Panels' $4.75 million investment in Marion County to establish an acoustic panel manufacturing facility at 3630 West Highway 76 in Mullins. The investment was expected to create 63 new jobs and begin operations in a 129,000-square-foot facility. McMaster stated in a press release that the project would bring new opportunities to Marion County families and strengthen the state's manufacturing sector.

McMaster signed H. 5261, a joint resolution extending the deadline for mandatory alcohol server training in South Carolina from March 2, 2026 to May 1, 2026. The resolution applies to employees who serve alcohol for on-premises consumption 10 hours or more per week and to managers overseeing alcohol service. The extension was requested by hospitality businesses and lawmakers who identified implementation challenges in meeting the original compliance deadline established under the state's liquor liability reforms.

Governor McMaster supported President Donald Trump's call-up mission that deployed approximately 300 South Carolina National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., in early December to provide security support in the nation's capital. McMaster stated the assignment was standard operating procedure and that the original request came from the secretary of the Army several months prior. As of March 2026, approximately 200 of the deployed troops began rotating home while roughly 100 remained assigned to the D.C. deployment.

McMaster received legislation passed by the South Carolina House on Wednesday that allocates $32 million in state funding toward the permanent protection of Captain Sams Spit, a 170-acre environmentally significant coastal area on Kiawah Island. The funding is part of a $37 million acquisition deal that includes $3.7 million from the town of Kiawah Island and $1.3 million from the Conservancy of the Sea Islands to purchase the property from Kiawah Partners and place it in a conserved state. The bill was awaiting McMaster's signature as it proceeded through the final stages of the legislative process.

The Fort Mill School District voted unanimously on March 10, 2026, to request that Governor Henry McMaster and other state and local officials permanently restrict chemical manufacturing operations at the Silfab Solar facility located adjacent to Flint Hill Elementary School. The request followed chemical leaks at the plant on March 3 and March 5 that prompted the district to close the elementary school for two days. McMaster received the formal request to limit the facility to assembly processes only and to mandate immediate removal of hazardous chemicals from the site.

South Carolina lawmakers passed S.383, the Prothonotary Warbler Recognition Act, which designated the prothonotary warbler as the state's official migratory bird. Governor McMaster signed the legislation, which received unanimous, bipartisan support in both chambers of the General Assembly. The act recognizes the species as an indicator of wetland ecosystem health, as the birds depend on swamps and bottomland hardwood forests for nesting and survival during their annual migration.

McMaster received legislation that would reduce South Carolina's property tax rate on boats from 10.5 percent to 6 percent of their assessed value, with the changes phased in beginning in 2027 and fully implemented by 2029. The state Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office estimated the tax cut would result in approximately $39.7 million in annual relief to boat owners once fully phased in, while reducing revenue to local governments by the same amount. The bill was designed to bring South Carolina's boat taxation in line with other states that impose lower or no taxes on watercraft, with supporters arguing it would encourage boat owners to register vessels in-state rather than elsewhere.

The South Carolina House of Representatives prepared to debate its 2027 spending package beginning March 9, 2026, based on a $13.9 billion proposed budget that included modifications to Governor Henry McMaster's initial budget proposal. The House Ways and Means Committee approved a plan that allocated funding differently than McMaster requested, including reducing his $1 billion highway funding request by half and declining to fund his $150 million request for the Department of Commerce related to Scout Motors cost overruns. The House spending plan was expected to conflict with the Senate's version when lawmakers reconvened for budget negotiations later in the spring.

McMaster joined Senate President Thomas Alexander, House Speaker Murrell Smith, and Supreme Court Justice John Kittredge on March 3, 2026 to sign a proclamation formally recognizing and commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The proclamation was signed at an event on the second floor of the Statehouse lobby attended by Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson, and numerous state agency heads. McMaster stated that the Declaration represents one of the greatest documents in human history and noted South Carolina's historical significance to the document's legacy.

McMaster released a statement supporting the South Carolina Senate's confirmation of Joel Anderson as director of the state's Department of Corrections on March 3, 2026. Anderson had served as interim director of the department since April 2025 following the departure of former director Bryan Stirling. McMaster stated that Anderson's more than 20 years of experience with the Department of Corrections and his leadership as interim director made him qualified to lead the agency going forward.

McMaster pledged to raise South Carolina's statewide minimum teacher pay to at least $50,000 before the end of his term in office. The House Ways and Means Committee released a General Appropriations Act proposal that would raise each cell on the statewide teacher salary schedule by $2,000 for the 2026-27 school year, bringing the minimum starting salary to $50,500. The Palmetto State Teachers Association stated that the proposal would fulfill McMaster's long-stated commitment to educator compensation.

The South Carolina Republican Party threatened legal action against the state if lawmakers did not vote during the legislative session to close primary elections to non-party members. Governor McMaster noted that closing primaries would reduce South Carolinians' opportunities to participate in representative democracy. An editorial board responded by suggesting that instead of closing primaries, the state should remove political parties from the electoral process entirely and adopt a single-ballot system similar to municipal elections in South Carolina.

Taylor worked for eight years to pass South Carolina's Hands-Free Driving Law, which Governor McMaster signed into law in the previous spring. The law prohibits drivers from holding mobile phones or electronic devices while operating vehicles, with violations resulting in fines of $100 for the first offense and $200 for subsequent violations, along with two points added to the driver's license. The 180-day warning period ended on February 28, 2026, after which law enforcement began issuing citations for violations.

Governor McMaster announced that the body of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson would lie in state at the South Carolina Statehouse on March 2 following Jackson's death on February 17 at age 84. McMaster directed that flags atop the Statehouse be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on that day. The announcement was made at the request of Jackson's family and members of the State Legislature, with the Department of Administration coordinating arrangements with Jackson family representatives.

Governor McMaster signed the South Carolina Hands Free Driving Law in May 2025, which prohibits drivers from holding mobile devices, reading or composing electronic communications, and watching video content while operating vehicles. The law took effect on a warning basis on September 1, 2025, and law enforcement agencies began issuing citations for violations on February 28, 2026, following the completion of a 180-day warning period. Violations carry fines of $100 for a first offense and $200 plus two license points for a second offense.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster endorsed his Lieutenant Governor, Pamela Evette, to succeed him in the 2026 Republican primary for governor. McMaster made the announcement in a video shared with the Associated Press on February 11, 2026, describing Evette as a key partner in state governance and stating the state would "keep winning" under her leadership. The endorsement was formalized at a press conference in Columbia on February 12, 2026.

The South Carolina Department of Education's interpretation of the state voucher program allowed over 1,000 homeschooled students to receive state-funded scholarships despite legislative language intended to prohibit such use. State senators, including Senate Education Committee chairman Greg Hembree, questioned this implementation during a February 4, 2026 education subcommittee meeting. Hembree introduced legislation to close the loophole and prevent homeschooling parents from using the scholarship funds.

Governor McMaster was expected to sign legislation sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Shane Massey that restored the South Carolina Legislature's $1,000 monthly "in-district allowance" payments, totaling $12,000 annually in compensation. The S.C. Supreme Court had eliminated these payments the previous year after determining that a legislative pay increase from $12,000 to $30,000 annually violated the state constitution because it took effect before the next election. The bill retroactively reinstated the original allowance amount that the court had found constitutional.

During his final State of the State address, Governor McMaster proposed legislation requiring South Carolina magistrates to be lawyers, a qualification currently not mandated for the position. McMaster also recommended that the state assume financial responsibility for magistrate salaries, which are currently paid by counties and range from less than $50,000 to nearly $150,000 annually. The proposal additionally called for magistrates to undergo the same vetting process as upper-court judges, potentially limiting local senators' ability to block gubernatorial appointments.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster's 2022 budget included $1 billion in tax rebates. During the 2026 legislative session, two tax cut proposals totaling $377 million were advancing through the state legislature, consisting of an income tax rate reduction estimated to cost $119 million annually and a property tax exemption expansion for seniors projected to reduce revenues by $259 million yearly.

Governor Henry McMaster issued a declaration of state of emergency for South Carolina in response to a winter storm forecast for Aiken County scheduled for the weekend of January 30 through February 1, 2026. McMaster extended the state of emergency declaration on Thursday, January 29, as the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings and extreme cold warnings for the region. The declaration remained in effect as meteorologists predicted three to five inches of snow accumulation and wind chill temperatures around zero degrees for the area.

McMaster submitted requests for emergency disaster assistance to the federal government following Hurricane Helene in September 2024, requesting an expedited presidential disaster declaration to support state and local response efforts. The request was granted in 2024, and in January 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security approved over $200 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement grants for South Carolina, with $9.5 million allocated to Spartanburg County. The funds were designated to reimburse state and local governments for recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helene and other severe storms that impacted the state over the preceding decade.

McMaster extended South Carolina's state of emergency on January 30, 2026, which had been initially declared on January 21 ahead of Winter Storm Fern and was continued in preparation for Winter Storm Gianna. The extension kept in effect the state's temporary price gouging law, which restricts unreasonably large price increases on essential goods during emergencies. McMaster stated the extension was a precaution due to forecasted wintry weather expected within the following 48 hours.

During his final state of the state address on January 28, 2026, Governor McMaster called on the South Carolina General Assembly to grant the governor's office power to select and vet all of the state's judges, including more than 300 magistrates, subject to Senate advice and consent. McMaster proposed that magistrates be required to possess law degrees and undergo transparent screening processes overseen by the state Supreme Court, with county residency requirements eliminated. The governor characterized the proposed changes as necessary to inspire public confidence in the judicial system.

Governor McMaster opted South Carolina into the federal tax credit scholarship program established by Congress in the previous year, becoming effective in 2027. The program provides taxpayer-backed scholarships awarded by private charities that eligible families can use for private school tuition and educational expenses. Families with incomes up to 300 percent of their area's gross median income will be eligible, with funding generated through IRS tax credits of up to $1,700 for donations made to participating charities.

Governor McMaster declared a state of emergency on January 21, 2026, in response to Winter Storm Fern, which was forecast to bring ice, sleet, and snow across South Carolina. The declaration mobilized state resources to respond to the incoming winter weather system moving eastward from Georgia. The National Weather Service issued ice storm warnings for portions of the state, with the Upstate expected to receive between one-half and three-quarters of an inch of ice accumulation.

McMaster issued a state of emergency declaration on Wednesday ahead of a forecasted winter storm in South Carolina. The declaration activated a temporary price gouging law that prohibits businesses from unreasonably increasing prices on essential goods such as gasoline and food during the emergency period. The law remains in effect for the duration of the state of emergency declaration.

Governor McMaster appointed Jordan Heyd of Myrtle Beach's Lekker Eats, James London of Charleston's Chubby Fish and Seahorse, and Guichard Ulysse of Greer's House 509 Bistro and Wine Bar as the 2026 South Carolina Chef Ambassadors during a ceremony at the Statehouse on January 22, 2026. The appointments recognized the chefs' exceptional cuisine and their commitment to featuring South Carolina Certified Products in their restaurants. London's appointment followed Chubby Fish being named a semifinalist in the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Restaurant category for the second consecutive year.

McMaster vetoed a bill that would have dismissed pending gun charges related to unlawful carrying that were filed before South Carolina adopted permitless carry legislation in 2024. In his veto message, McMaster stated he was concerned about removing a prosecutorial tool and noted that violations of laws that were later changed should not automatically be dismissed. The South Carolina House and Senate overrode McMaster's veto, allowing the bill to become law despite his objections.

Governor McMaster worked with President Donald Trump to secure $1 billion in federal funding to strengthen rural health care in South Carolina, with the state receiving $200 million as the first installment of five planned disbursements. The funding was designated to support physician-led team care models in rural areas where approximately 30 percent of South Carolinians reside. This effort followed prior legislative actions including the repeal of certificate of need requirements, expansion of telehealth services, and investments in graduate medical education.

McMaster requested that the South Carolina Legislature expand eligibility for the state's 4-year-old kindergarten program by raising the income threshold from 185 percent to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, approximately $96,000 annually for a family of four. The expansion, included in McMaster's final budget proposal, would increase enrollment from approximately 18,000 to 20,000 students and require approximately $10 million in funding. The proposal would make the program available to roughly half of the state's eligible four-year-olds who do not currently qualify.

South Carolina received $200,030,252 in federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding for fiscal year 2026, as announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Governor McMaster designated the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as the lead agency to implement the program, which was established under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025. The state's implementation plan includes five major initiatives focused on expanding digital healthcare infrastructure, scaling pilot programs, deploying mobile health units, strengthening rural healthcare workforce and facilities, and supporting health technology innovations.

McMaster and the South Carolina Department of Commerce announced on January 14, 2026, that the state secured $9.12 billion in capital investment from 82 new and expanding businesses in 2025, with projections to create 8,100 jobs. Of this total, approximately $4.25 billion, or 46 percent, was directed to rural counties designated as moderately developed or distressed by the state, marking the highest rural investment level in 15 years. Notable projects included a $280 million biomass energy plant in Orangeburg County and a $250 million wood-fiberboard factory in Clarendon County.

Governor McMaster requested that the South Carolina legislature approve a $2,000 increase to the state's minimum teacher pay scale during the 2026 legislative session. The proposed raise would bring a starting teacher's salary to $50,500, aligning with the governor's stated goal of establishing a $50,000 floor by 2026 and would cost the state $150 million if enacted. McMaster made this request alongside State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver as the new legislative session commenced in January 2026.

Governor McMaster included in his executive budget a recommendation to expand South Carolina's Education Scholarship Trust Fund program to 20,000 students in the 2026-27 school year, an increase of 5,000 slots beyond what existing law would provide. The expansion, which McMaster attributed to the program's popularity, would cost $61.4 million according to his office. The Education Oversight Committee's annual survey of program parents, released the same day as the budget recommendation, documented some parents' concerns that certain schools were not providing anticipated benefits under the voucher system.

Governor McMaster included a proposal for universal free school breakfast in his 2026 executive budget, requesting $8.7 million in recurring funds for the initiative. The budget also allocated over $1 billion in one-time funds for the state Department of Transportation and included provisions for disaster relief and support for an aging inmate population. McMaster's budget proposal was submitted to the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate for consideration, though legislative leadership indicated no commitment to all elements of the plan.

McMaster released his final executive budget on January 12, 2026, which included a $150 million request to raise the minimum starting salary for South Carolina teachers to $50,500, an increase from the current $48,500. The budget also proposed approximately $8.7 million in annual spending to provide universal free breakfasts for all public school students regardless of household income. McMaster stated that the proposed teacher salary increase would represent a 68 percent increase since 2017 and would continue to exceed starting salaries in Georgia and North Carolina.

Attorney General Alan Wilson selected Florence state Senator Mike Reichenbach as his running mate for the 2026 South Carolina governor's race, with the announcement occurring in January 2026 approximately six months before the primary election. Reichenbach, a former Department of Natural Resources officer and State Law Enforcement Division constable, brought law enforcement and business experience to the ticket. The formal announcement was scheduled for January 12, 2026, prior to the opening of candidate filing in March.

McMaster authorized the deployment of approximately 300 South Carolina National Guard members to Washington, D.C. in December 2025 for an expected 90-day assignment, marking the second such deployment under President Donald Trump's request that Republican-led states send National Guard troops to the capital. A lawsuit was filed in the South Carolina Supreme Court in January 2026 by the South Carolina Public Interest Foundation and a Navy veteran challenging the lawfulness of the deployment under state law and seeking to block future deployments to Washington, D.C.

McMaster requested an additional $1.1 billion in funding for the South Carolina Department of Transportation in his proposed executive budget to address increased construction costs and accommodate the state's growing population. The request was intended to help combat potential delays on roadwork projects across the state, including the realignment of Columbia's Malfunction Junction at Interstates 26 and 20. Officials stated that the increased funding might have limited impact on accelerating the completion timeline of the Columbia project specifically.

McMaster proposed allocating $1.1 billion from the state's budget surplus toward highway, bridge construction, and repairs across South Carolina. The proposal would address a decades-long backlog of transportation infrastructure needs that accumulated after the state legislature stopped adjusting highway funding to match inflation and population growth. The allocation would represent a one-time expenditure from surplus funds rather than a permanent increase to transportation funding.

McMaster presented the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor, to retired Francis Marion University Professor Emeritus Neal D. Thigpen on January 6, 2026, at a surprise celebration in Florence. The award recognizes Thigpen's lifetime of extraordinary achievement and service as a political scientist and trusted source of political analysis. The Order of the Palmetto, established in 1971, is awarded for contributions on a national or statewide scale.

McMaster requested that South Carolina lawmakers allocate an additional $1.1 billion in funding for road and interstate infrastructure improvements in his 2026 executive budget proposal. The governor cited inflation and labor costs as factors contributing to increased expenses for three major interstate projects, including Interstate 26 widening between Charleston and Columbia, Interstate 95 widening from the Georgia border to Point South, and the Carolina Crossroads project near Columbia, each of which experienced significant cost increases. McMaster presented this funding request as the state addresses infrastructure demands resulting from South Carolina's growing population, which has surpassed 5 million residents.

McMaster announced a request to the South Carolina General Assembly for $1 billion in additional funding for the South Carolina Department of Transportation, bringing the total new spending request to $1.1 billion. The proposal came ahead of the 2026 legislative session and was intended to address inflation-driven increases in construction costs and maintain the pace of ongoing highway and bridge projects. McMaster indicated the funding would come from an anticipated $1.71 billion surplus in one-time state budget funds projected by fiscal analysts.

Governor McMaster issued an executive order on December 3 directing state agencies to ignore existing state laws that establish goals for minority contracting opportunities. The action was taken in response to Trump administration threats to eliminate federal grants for state and local governments that maintain affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Republican leaders in the state legislature have pledged to pursue a full legislative repeal of the minority contracting goals in the 2026 session.

Governor McMaster signed legislation passed by the South Carolina state Legislature in May 2025 that mandated the replacement of the state's standard license plate. The new SC250 plate, which became the standard plate in January 2026, features a white design with a blue Moultrie Flag and the phrase "Where the Revolutionary War Was Won," commemorating South Carolina's role in Revolutionary War battles. The design was developed by the South Carolina Revolutionary War Sestercentennial Commission and replaces the "While I Breathe, I Hope" palmetto plate that had been in use since 2015.

McMaster signed legislation that modified South Carolina's liquor liability rules, effective January 1, 2026. The law changed the level of civil responsibility imposed on bar and restaurant owners when their patrons cause injury after consuming alcohol on the premises. The legislation also established a minimum liquor liability insurance requirement of $1 million for on-premises alcohol sellers, with provisions for reduced coverage through certified responsible alcohol serving practices, and mandated alcohol server training for service staff.

Governor McMaster signed legislation in March 2024 that eliminated the requirement for South Carolina residents to obtain a concealed weapons permit before carrying handguns in public, lowering the carrying age to 18 and removing mandatory training prerequisites. The law allowed permitless open and concealed carry in most public places. Following the law's implementation, weapon violation arrests in South Carolina decreased by 30 percent in 2024, ending a decade-long consecutive increase in such charges.

Governor McMaster signed an executive order in December 2025 directing state agencies to ignore South Carolina's minority business set-aside law, which requires state agencies to develop plans to ensure that 10 percent of contract spending goes to businesses owned by women and minorities. The law establishes reporting requirements for state agencies to submit quarterly progress reports to the state's minority affairs agency. McMaster acknowledged that the Legislature holds the authority to repeal the law, yet proceeded with the executive order based on his own constitutional analysis and reported support from legislative leaders.

Governor McMaster presented South Carolina's updated statewide water management plan on December 11, 2025, at the Statehouse alongside Department of Environmental Services Director Myra Reece and industry stakeholders. The 181-page plan was developed by WaterSC, an initiative McMaster established in September 2024 to address water conservation and management amid population growth and increased energy demands. The plan assesses current water resources and outlines strategies for responsible management while acknowledging ongoing questions about data center development and future technological impacts on water availability.

McMaster issued an executive order directing state agencies to cease favoring minority-owned businesses when awarding government contracts, characterizing the 40-year-old practice as discriminatory. The order was issued on December 3, 2025, one day before Charleston City Council gave initial approval to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion language from city programs and policies. McMaster's directive prompted Charleston officials to modify the Women and Minority Business Enterprise office into a Small Business Enterprise office and rename the Human Affairs and Racial Conciliation Commission to comply with the executive order by a December 31 deadline to avoid risking over $175 million in federal grant funding.

McMaster's office announced a $120 million investment by Portuguese supplier SODECIA and Thai manufacturer AAPICO to build a 400,000-square-foot facility in Orangeburg County that will produce ladder frames for Scout Motors electric vehicles. The plant, located at 4100 St. Matthews Road, is expected to create nearly 400 jobs with construction completion targeted for 2027. The facility will supply components for Scout Motors' SUV and truck production at its $2 billion plant in Blythewood.

Governor McMaster authorized the deployment of more than 300 South Carolina National Guard troops from the 1st Battalion 178th Field Artillery Regiment to Washington D.C. for approximately 90 days to provide security support to law enforcement. McMaster characterized the deployment as standard operating procedure in response to a request from the Secretary of the Army issued several months prior. The troops were assigned to patrol Washington D.C. streets and provide what officials described as critical support reinforcing safety and security for residents, workers, and visitors.

Governor McMaster issued an executive order on December 3, 2025, directing state agencies to cease considering race and sex as criteria in awarding government contracts to minority-owned businesses. McMaster stated that the 40-year-old practice of favoring women and minority-owned businesses in state procurement constituted unlawful racial discrimination and violated constitutional principles. The order does not invalidate existing state law or affect contracts already awarded, but McMaster indicated that state legislative leaders plan to remove the relevant provisions from state law during the 2026 legislative session.

Governor McMaster announced the deployment of more than 300 South Carolina National Guard members to Washington D.C., scheduled to begin the week after Thanksgiving in November 2025. The deployment was planned as part of a rotation to relieve Georgia National Guard members who had previously relieved South Carolina guardsmen from an August deployment supporting President Trump's "Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful" mission. McMaster made the announcement via social media post following the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House, though he stated the South Carolina deployment was not a direct response to that incident.

McMaster called on the South Carolina Legislature in his 2025 State of the State address to raise the state's minimum starting teacher salary to $50,000, stating the increase should occur during the 2025 fiscal year rather than waiting until the following year. The South Carolina Department of Education subsequently submitted a budget request asking the Legislature to allocate $150 million to implement this salary increase. The request follows McMaster's previous calls in 2019 and January 2025 for increased teacher compensation, with the state having already raised the minimum starting salary to $48,500 as of July 1.

Governor McMaster announced on November 17, 2025, in a joint statement with Department of Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd that South Carolina would decrease or maintain unemployment insurance tax rates for employers in 2026, resulting in a $40 million reduction from 2025 levels. The announcement marked the 13th consecutive year of rate reductions and the largest overall cut since 2011. The decision was based on the state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund reaching a record balance of $1.8 billion while the state maintained low unemployment rates and received approximately twice the monthly contributions compared to benefit payouts.

McMaster signed House Bill 3862 during a ceremonial signing ceremony in November 2025, legislation that authorizes public charter schools in South Carolina to prioritize enrollment for children of active-duty military families. The bill took effect on May 19, 2025, following years of advocacy and collaboration between the South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs and the South Carolina Public Charter School District. McMaster was joined at the signing by representatives from the South Carolina Public Charter School District and multiple charter schools participating in the initiative.

Governor McMaster denied clemency for Stephen Bryant, who was executed by firing squad on November 14, 2025, for three killings committed in South Carolina in 2004. Bryant was the seventh person executed in South Carolina in 14 months following the resumption of executions after a 13-year pause. McMaster's office confirmed the clemency denial, continuing a pattern in which no South Carolina governor has granted clemency since capital punishment resumed in the United States in 1976.

McMaster issued an executive order in 2022 directing the removal of hazardous materials from the USS Yorktown, a naval vessel and tourist attraction located in the Charleston Harbor. The remediation project removed more than one million gallons of waste and 1.6 million gallons of hazardous materials from the ship's storage areas. McMaster announced the completion of the environmental remediation effort in November 2025 alongside state and local officials.

Governor McMaster activated the One SC Fund to support food banks across South Carolina in response to food insecurity challenges facing the state. Duke Energy Foundation contributed $100,000 to the One SC Fund as part of its monthlong campaign to address hunger during the holiday season. The fund was established to assist food pantries and feeding programs amid uncertainties regarding government funding availability.

U.S. Representative Ralph Norman announced on November 10, 2025, that he would vote to support a bipartisan measure to end the government shutdown, which had lasted 41 days. The package combines three tranches of funding into one measure to reopen the government through January 30, 2026, and includes funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through September. Norman stated his support was conditional on the bill matching previously agreed-upon spending levels.

McMaster called on South Carolina residents to donate to the One SC Fund to provide food aid during a federal government shutdown that threatened to cut off SNAP benefits to state residents. Democratic Party leaders acknowledged the initiative but stated that private donations would be insufficient to address the anticipated shortfall of more than $100 million monthly in federal food assistance. Party officials characterized the governor's approach as inadequate to meet the expected strain on the state's food bank system.

McMaster announced on October 27 the activation of the One SC Fund, a statewide charitable repository managed by the Central Carolina Community Foundation, to address an anticipated loss of over $100 million in federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding due to a government shutdown scheduled to take effect November 1. The governor's office sought private donations to backfill the gap in food stamp benefits that would otherwise cease at the state level. The funding mechanism represented an attempt to maintain SNAP benefits through charitable contributions rather than state or federal appropriations.

Governor McMaster announced the activation of the One SC Fund, a statewide donation-based funding drive administered by the Central Carolina Community Foundation, in response to more than 556,000 South Carolina SNAP users being unable to receive their November food assistance benefits during the federal government shutdown. McMaster called on South Carolina residents to donate to support local food banks across the state's 46 counties as demand for assistance increases. The state also deployed the state guard to assist food banks in distributing aid during the benefits pause.

Governor McMaster suspended North Charleston City Councilman Mike Brown from his position on City Council after Brown was indicted in connection with a North Charleston corruption probe. The suspension remained in effect after Brown initially pleaded not guilty on March 11 and was maintained through Brown's subsequent guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery in October 2025. A special election was scheduled for January 13, 2026 to fill Brown's vacant city council seat.

McMaster signed the South Carolina Energy Security Act in July, which designated advanced nuclear facility development and operation as state policy and expanded the Nuclear Advisory Council's role. The Santee Cooper Board of Directors subsequently approved motions in October to progress work on natural gas and nuclear energy units. McMaster stated during his January State of the State address that South Carolina must prepare for a future driven by nuclear power generation.

Attorney General Wilson issued an advisory opinion on October 10, 2025, concluding that municipal hate crime ordinances likely violate the South Carolina state constitution. The opinion was released in response to the city of Greenwood's request for guidance as it considered passing a local hate crime ordinance. Wilson stated that South Carolina's Supreme Court could strike down such ordinances if challenged, following the passage of similar measures by more than 20 municipalities across the state.

Senator Lindsey Graham pitched a grant rewards program designed to incentivize South Carolina law enforcement agencies to collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the 287(g) program. Governor Henry McMaster attended a meeting with ten Midlands-area sheriffs on October 2, 2025, where Graham presented the proposal as a means to provide federal funding to departments that agree to assist ICE with immigration enforcement. Graham stated the program would direct federal resources to local law enforcement agencies participating in ICE collaborations.

A state circuit judge rejected an attempt to block the South Carolina Election Commission from sharing voter information data with the U.S. Department of Justice, ruling that the federal government's right to the information took precedence over privacy concerns. Circuit Judge Daniel Coble determined in his October 1 decision that the plaintiff failed to prove irreparable harm would result from the data release and found no evidence the Election Commission would violate state law in its negotiations with the Department of Justice. Governor Henry McMaster supported the release of the voter database containing information on 3.3 million South Carolina voters.

McMaster praised the South Carolina National Guard's deployment to Washington, D.C. as part of President Donald Trump's "Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful" mission, which involved approximately 200 troops deployed beginning August 16. McMaster stated that the South Carolina National Guard was "regarded all around the country as being superior" following the operation, and his spokesperson characterized the mission as "highly successful." The troops were deployed under Title 32 authority, which allowed federal funding while McMaster retained command, and returned to South Carolina on September 20.

Governor Henry McMaster suspended Councilman Mike Brown from serving on the North Charleston City Council pending the outcome of his trial or a regularly scheduled election. Brown is one of three North Charleston councilmen named as defendants in a federal corruption probe that uncovered schemes involving extortion, bribery, and kickbacks related to a city-run grant program. Brown has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to proceed to trial in November.

McMaster declared a state of emergency for South Carolina in preparation for Tropical Storm Imelda, which was forecast to bring significant wind, heavy rainfall, and flooding across the state. The declaration was issued as the tropical system strengthened while tracking across the Caribbean and moved toward the southeastern United States. McMaster advised residents to monitor official forecasts and alerts and to begin preparation measures ahead of the storm's expected arrival.

McMaster declared a state of emergency for South Carolina on Friday, September 26, 2025, in response to Tropical Depression 9 strengthening in the Caribbean. During a press conference on September 27, 2025, McMaster stated that residents should take the threat seriously and that the state had positioned equipment and aerial assets throughout South Carolina in preparation for potential impacts. McMaster indicated that 150 South Carolina National Guard troops had been activated primarily to operate high water rescue vehicles, and stated that no coastal evacuations were being ordered at that time.

A circuit judge ruled that Governor McMaster could intervene in a lawsuit filed against the State Election Commission to block disclosure of personal data for 3.3 million South Carolinians to the U.S. Department of Justice. McMaster sought to join the case in opposition to the lawsuit and in support of releasing the voter database, which contains sensitive information including driver's license numbers and Social Security information. The judge determined McMaster's request to intervene was timely and directly relevant to his office's operations, allowing him to submit arguments alongside the Election Commission.

Howard Knapp, executive director of the South Carolina Election Commission, was removed from his position by the commission's board of directors on September 17, 2025, after a closed-door meeting. The Election Commission's chairman Dennis W. Shedd stated that the decision was unrelated to the conduct of any election in South Carolina but provided no further explanation for the dismissal. Chief of Staff Jenny Wooten was named interim executive director following Knapp's removal.

South Carolina's Supreme Court lifted a restraining order blocking the state from releasing sensitive voter information of 3.3 million residents to the Department of Justice in September 2025, overturning Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein's temporary injunction from the previous week. Governor McMaster had objected to the lower court's decision to block the DOJ's request for voter data including addresses, driver's license numbers, and partial Social Security information. The state Supreme Court indicated a decision on how to proceed would be issued within 10 days.

Governor McMaster awarded the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor, to former state Senator Jake Knotts in August 2025. Knotts served in the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate before departing office in 2012 and had previously faced ethics violations in 2010 when a state committee found he failed to report nearly $27,000 in contributions and accepted approximately $25,000 from donors above legal limits. The award announcement drew criticism on social media, with commentators referencing Knotts's 2010 remarks on an internet talk show in which he used racial slurs regarding then-gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley and President Barack Obama.

Governor Henry McMaster suspended Bethune town councilman John Heflin on August 18 after a state grand jury indicted Heflin on a charge of criminal solicitation of a minor, an alleged offense occurring while Heflin served as dean of students at Camden Military Academy. Under state law, Heflin's town council seat remains occupied despite his suspension and incarceration, barring him from attending council meetings and voting on municipal matters. Heflin's seat will only be declared vacant if he resigns before his term expires in November 2027 or if he is convicted of the felony charges.

McMaster issued an executive order in September 2025 restricting South Carolina SNAP recipients' ability to purchase items classified as "junk food," including candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages with their public benefits. The four-page order included exemptions and carve-outs that McMaster stated reflected a targeted approach aligned with federal health policy objectives. McMaster characterized the action as a "light-touch, common-sense approach" to ensure federal funds support nutritious food purchases.

Governor McMaster joined Republican governors from Ohio, Mississippi, and West Virginia in deploying approximately 200 South Carolina National Guard members to Washington, D.C., in support of President Donald Trump's initiative to increase patrols in the nation's capital. McMaster stated his support for the deployment during a press gaggle, citing concerns about public safety in major cities. The deployment occurred after two South Carolina guardsmen were allegedly spat upon by a civilian on August 22, with the alleged perpetrator charged with felony assault carrying a maximum sentence of eight years.

Governor McMaster announced the deployment of 200 South Carolina National Guard members to Washington, D.C. in August 2025 in support of President Donald Trump's executive order to restore law and order in the district. The deployment occurred under a Title 32 agreement in which the federal government funded the operation while McMaster retained command authority. McMaster joined Republican governors from Ohio, Mississippi, and West Virginia in providing National Guard troops for the deployment.

Governor McMaster announced on Saturday that he would deploy 200 South Carolina National Guard troops to Washington to assist federal efforts addressing crime and homelessness in the capital. The deployment occurred during peak Atlantic hurricane season, a period when McMaster had stated the previous week that hurricane preparedness was the state's number one priority for the National Guard. The deployment proceeded despite tropical storm conditions developing in the Atlantic, with Hurricane Erin reaching Category 5 status within 24 hours of McMaster's announcement.

McMaster pledged 200 South Carolina National Guard members to deploy to Washington, D.C. as part of a multi-state Republican effort to support the Trump administration's federal intervention in the capital. The deployment followed President Trump's executive order federalizing local police forces and activating District of Columbia National Guard members in response to crime and homelessness concerns. McMaster's commitment was announced alongside similar deployments from West Virginia and Ohio, bringing the total outside National Guard reinforcement to several hundred troops.

Governor McMaster issued an executive order on August 18, 2025, suspending John Heflin from his position on the Bethune Town Council following Heflin's indictment on a charge of criminal solicitation of a minor. Heflin, who was dean of students at Camden Military Academy, was accused of requesting a sexually explicit photo of a cadet in September while employed at the school. Under the suspension order, Heflin's council seat will remain suspended until his acquittal or conviction, and shall be declared vacant if he is convicted.

Governor McMaster authorized 200 members of the South Carolina National Guard to deploy to Washington, D.C. in support of President Donald Trump's executive order titled "Restore Law and Order in the District of Columbia." The deployment was announced on August 15, 2025, with McMaster stipulating that the guardsmen would be subject to immediate recall if a hurricane or natural disaster threatened South Carolina, and the federal government would bear the cost of the deployment.

McMaster authorized South Carolina to deploy 200 National Guard members to Washington, D.C. to support the Trump administration's federal intervention in the nation's capital. The deployment was announced on August 17, 2025, as part of a coordinated effort by three Republican-led states to bolster federal law enforcement and policing operations in the District of Columbia. McMaster's action followed President Trump's executive order federalizing local police forces and activating D.C. National Guard members.

Governor McMaster announced plans on August 6, 2025, to issue an executive order limiting the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to restrict purchases of junk food and sugary drinks. The executive order would direct the Department of Social Services to implement restrictions on SNAP purchases in South Carolina, following similar actions taken by six other states that have already received federal waivers to modify their SNAP programs. McMaster stated the order would be issued within days, though specific details regarding which products would be restricted were not disclosed at the time of announcement.

Governor McMaster signed the Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act, which prohibits drivers from holding mobile electronic devices, reading or composing messages, or watching videos while operating a vehicle. The law imposes a $100 fine for first offenses and $200 plus two license points for subsequent violations, with enforcement beginning February 28, 2026 after an initial 180-day warning period. The legislation takes effect September 1, 2025.

Governor McMaster signed the Hands Free and Distracted Driving Act, legislation that prohibits drivers from holding cellphones while operating vehicles in South Carolina. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, with a six-month warning period before full enforcement begins on February 28, 2026, at which point violations will result in a $100 fine for first offenses and $200 for subsequent violations within three years. The law includes exceptions for parked vehicles, hands-free or voice-activated devices, and calls to report emergencies or hazardous conditions.

Governor McMaster hosted a ceremonial signing of the Hands-Free Driving law, which prohibits South Carolina drivers from holding or using mobile electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle, effective September 1. The legislation, originally introduced by Rep. Taylor in 2017 as the "DUI-E" bill, restricts texting, video watching, and other phone-based activities while driving, though exceptions exist for hands-free voice communication and emergency reporting. The law was supported by over 80% of South Carolinians and was advanced through the legislative process with advocacy from families who had lost loved ones to distracted driving accidents.

McMaster stated that a federal lawsuit challenging South Carolina's automobile franchise law could clarify the state's ability to enforce the statute and potentially allow manufacturers like Tesla and Scout Motors to sell vehicles directly to consumers rather than through dealerships. The governor's spokesman indicated that McMaster believes a narrow statutory exemption for Scout Motors to sell vehicles manufactured in the state would benefit the state's auto dealers and the automotive sector. The franchise law, in place since 2000, has created uncertainty among state agencies regarding enforcement authority and legal action.

McMaster's office indicated openness to a potential partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to establish a detention facility in South Carolina similar to Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz," a holding center for individuals awaiting deportation. The announcement followed statements by DHS Director Kristi Noem that multiple governors had expressed interest in such facilities. The original Florida facility was announced by Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier as a response to overcrowded detention centers resulting from increased deportation operations under the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies.

McMaster signed the S.C. Energy Security Act, legislation designed to support nuclear power development in South Carolina. The act was signed alongside state leaders and utility officials as part of broader efforts to advance nuclear energy infrastructure in the state. McMaster stated that South Carolina holds a leading position nationally in facilitating a nuclear power industry revival.

McMaster signed an executive order that directed state agencies, including some legally independent entities such as SLED and the Department of Public Safety, to report information about budget earmarks to his office. The order included directives to create succession plans among the 30 officials McMaster designated as members of his Executive Cabinet, though the Legislature had deliberately insulated several of these agencies from gubernatorial control. McMaster's predecessors had similarly designated independent agency directors as Cabinet members, though not through formal executive order.

Governor McMaster announced line-item vetoes for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 state budget, which included 80 percent of his executive budget proposals such as an income tax cut, school resource officer funding, teacher and law enforcement pay raises, and a college tuition freeze. McMaster issued 11 vetoes on the budget passed by the General Assembly. The governor also announced plans for an executive order requiring state cabinet agencies and departments to request detailed information before distributing appropriations when lacking sufficient direction in the budget.

McMaster signed the South Carolina Energy Security Act, legislation that requires regulators to review project permits faster for energy infrastructure. Duke Energy announced a proposal to build a 1,400-megawatt natural gas plant in Anderson County following the signing of this energy package. McMaster stated that the plant would help meet the state's growing energy demands.

McMaster hosted the annual hurricane tabletop exercise on June 5, 2025, bringing together his cabinet and state officials to test South Carolina's emergency operation plans ahead of hurricane season. The exercise evaluated each state agency's preparedness and included updates to hurricane evacuation routes and lane reversal plans tested by the Department of Public Safety. The tabletop exercise followed Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage across South Carolina in the previous season, and was designed to ensure coordinated response capabilities across state government.

The South Carolina General Assembly passed the Fentanyl Induced Homicide bill in the final hours of the 2025-26 legislative session, establishing penalties of up to 30 years imprisonment for individuals who distribute fentanyl that results in a death. Attorney General Alan Wilson publicly supported the legislation as a measure to hold drug dealers accountable for fatal overdoses. However, multiple state solicitors subsequently criticized the bill's language, particularly the requirement that prosecutors prove the distributor acted "knowingly," arguing the provision rendered the law ineffective in prosecuting fentanyl-related deaths.

Governor McMaster appointed Cindy Crick as the new 13th Circuit Solicitor for Greenville and Pickens counties, replacing Walt Wilkins who announced his retirement. Crick, a private attorney in Greenville and former chief of staff to U.S. Representative Trey Gowdy, previously served as an assistant solicitor in the 7th Circuit Solicitor's Office for nine years. Crick's appointment became effective immediately on June 6, 2025, and she will serve the remainder of Wilkins' term until the next general election in November 2026.

Governor McMaster signed legislation sponsored by Representative Bill Taylor that prohibits the use of portable electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle in South Carolina. The bill became effective on September 1, 2025. The measure follows multiple legislative sessions of advocacy by Taylor to bring South Carolina into alignment with other states that have enacted similar distracted driving restrictions.

Governor McMaster vetoed 11 line items from the state's 2024-25 budget while allowing the budget's provision increasing lawmaker compensation from $12,000 to $30,000 annually to remain in place. McMaster stated that approximately 80 percent of his proposals were incorporated into the final budget and indicated he was relying on the Legislature's good faith regarding the pay increases. The governor acknowledged potential legal challenges to the compensation provision but declined to veto it, leaving the decision on its justification to lawmakers.

McMaster signed H. 3430, the Tort Reform and Liquor Liability Act, into law in June 2025. The legislation modified South Carolina's joint and several liability laws by allowing defendants to include nonparty-tortfeasors on verdict forms for jury consideration and capped business liability at 50 percent in cases involving DUI incidents. The act also established insurance requirements for alcohol-serving establishments, with minimum annual aggregate coverage of $1 million that could be reduced through risk mitigation measures such as employee training programs or digital identification systems.

McMaster issued 11 vetoes from South Carolina's 2025-26 fiscal year budget of 14.5 billion dollars, with only one veto removing funds from the spending plan in the amount of 10,000 dollars designated for what McMaster characterized as a duplicative agency review effort. The remaining ten vetoes did not strike money from the budget. McMaster's veto activity represented a notably restrained use of the gubernatorial veto power compared to his Republican predecessors, including former Governor Nikki Haley who vetoed 87 items totaling more than 18 million dollars from a 7 billion dollar budget ten years prior.

McMaster appeared at a press conference on June 2, 2025, at the Charleston County Sheriff's Office to discuss Operation Last Stand, a sting operation conducted by ICE and partner agencies including SLED and the Charleston Sheriff's Office. The operation, executed on June 1, 2025, at the Alamo nightclub in Ladson, resulted in approximately 80 arrests, with many of those arrested being undocumented immigrants. McMaster joined SLED Chief Mark Keel, Charleston Sheriff Carl Ritchie, and Attorney General Alan Wilson, along with officers from more than a dozen law enforcement agencies, at the announcement of the operation's results.

McMaster attended a press conference in North Charleston on June 2, 2025, where Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie announced the results of an eight-month investigation into an illegal nightclub near Ladson. Local, state, and federal authorities, including ICE, conducted an operation on June 1, 2025, that resulted in the arrest of 80 people, including individuals alleged to be cartel members, a murder suspect wanted in Honduras, and undocumented immigrants, with authorities also identifying potential human trafficking victims. The investigation began in November 2024 following noise complaints that escalated to reports of assaults and other illegal activity at the Alamo nightclub on Highway 78.

The South Carolina Legislature passed a $14.7 billion state budget on May 28, 2025, that included a provision more than doubling in-district expense allocations for state legislators from $1,000 per month to $2,500 per month, costing approximately $1 million to implement. McMaster stated he would not veto the increase, characterizing it as an allowable provision under the state's spending plan and noting that expenses had increased significantly over the preceding two decades. The expense allocation increase, the first such increase in 30 years, was introduced as a proviso requiring re-approval in the following year to remain in effect.

McMaster signed legislation criminalizing the nonconsensual posting of intimate photographs and artificial intelligence-generated intimate images in South Carolina on May 29, 2025. The law establishes felony charges for sharing such images with intent to cause harm, carrying penalties of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for a first offense, with enhanced penalties for subsequent offenses. The legislation also creates misdemeanor charges for nonconsensual sharing without intent to harm, punishable by up to one year in prison on a first offense.

The South Carolina General Assembly passed a $14.5 billion state general fund budget that includes funding for bridge infrastructure and state employee pay raises. The budget was sent to Governor McMaster, who retained line-item veto power over the legislation. Statehouse leaders indicated they were unlikely to call lawmakers back to Columbia during the summer recess to vote on any vetoes McMaster might issue.

McMaster vetoed H.3969, a single-county bill that would have granted human rights to miniature motorized robots and permitted them to operate on streets in Richland County. McMaster determined the bill violated South Carolina's constitutional prohibition against county-specific legislation where general laws could apply statewide, noting that similar regulations for personal delivery devices could be adopted as statewide policy. The veto left the Legislature the option to override McMaster's decision.

McMaster worked to preserve federal nuclear energy tax credits for the V.C. Summer nuclear plant revival project through a Congressional spending agreement known as the "Big Beautiful Bill." The carveout in the legislation allows South Carolina's efforts to restart the abandoned reactors to access critical tax credits if construction begins by 2028. State officials determined this timeline provided sufficient opportunity to initiate work on the project and attract private investors to the site.

Governor McMaster attended a ceremonial groundbreaking on May 19, 2025, for Prisma Health's new 112-bed behavioral health hospital in Easley, South Carolina, which received $100 million in state appropriations as part of the $138 million project. The facility, expected to open in 2027, will replace the Marshall I. Pickens Hospital and nearly double Prisma Health's inpatient behavioral health capacity in the Upstate region. McMaster characterized the public-private partnership as addressing critical mental health care needs in the area, noting particular shortages in pediatric psychiatric services.

Governor Henry McMaster intervened in a federal lawsuit challenging South Carolina's 2023 abortion ban and signed on to the defense's court filings requesting dismissal of the case. The lawsuit, brought by five OB-GYNs against state officials, alleged that the ban's exceptions for fatal fetal anomalies and risks to maternal life and health were constitutionally vague and difficult to enforce. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel ruled that the doctors' complaint stated a plausible claim and declined to dismiss the case.

Governor McMaster proclaimed May 8, 2025 as No Kill South Carolina Day, recognizing the state's achievement of becoming a No Kill state by saving 90 percent of animals entering shelters and rescue organizations. The designation coincided with the Charleston Animal Society's 150th anniversary and marked the completion of a nine-year statewide initiative launched in 2016 to reduce animal euthanasia across South Carolina. The No Kill South Carolina project involved collaboration among approximately 75 organizations including shelters, rescue groups, animal control agencies, and volunteer groups to implement data-driven practices for animal welfare.

McMaster received legislation in May 2025 that reformed South Carolina's joint and several liability laws as they apply to liquor service establishments. The bill, which resulted from a late-session agreement between House and Senate members, caps bar and restaurant liability at 50 percent of plaintiff damages in drunk driving cases and requires establishments to pay only damages proportional to their degree of fault. McMaster was expected to sign the legislation, which also reduced insurance coverage mandates for venues where alcohol comprises less than 40 percent of sales.

The South Carolina Energy Security Act, a comprehensive energy reform bill spanning nearly 33,000 words, was passed by the South Carolina General Assembly and sent to Governor McMaster's desk for signature in May 2025. The legislation authorizes a joint effort between state-owned utility Santee Cooper and Dominion Energy to convert a decommissioned Lowcountry coal-fired power plant to natural gas, along with provisions governing power companies' infrastructure development and establishing a pilot program for small modular nuclear reactors. The bill represents the culmination of two years of legislative work and addresses electricity supply needs driven by South Carolina's industrial growth and shifts in the national energy grid.

McMaster signed the Educator Assistance Act into law on May 7, 2025, which requires South Carolina school districts to inform teachers of their compensation before they sign employment contracts. The legislation also reduces certain professional development requirements for teachers and permits educators to relocate within the state during the school year without jeopardizing their teaching license. The bill received unanimous approval in both chambers of the state legislature before reaching McMaster's desk.

McMaster expressed support for legislation to reduce South Carolina's property tax rates on boats and watercraft, which are currently the highest in the nation at 10.5 percent. The proposal, which advanced to the House floor during the 2025 legislative session, would halve the assessed value of boats subject to taxation from fifty percent to 43 percent of their fair market value. County governments raised concerns that the tax reduction could cost them approximately 40 million dollars in lost revenue without a replacement funding mechanism.

McMaster signed legislation in late April 2025 that eliminates Charleston County's eight constituent school boards and transfers their powers to the centralized Charleston County School Board. The bill, filed by House Representative Joe Bustos in February 2025, takes effect July 1, 2025. The constituent boards, which had existed for 60 years and retained limited powers including consideration of student transfer requests, attendance zone setting, and student discipline administration, were supported for elimination by district administrators, principals, teachers, and parents.

McMaster appointed Bryan Stirling as the U.S. attorney for South Carolina in 2025, following Stirling's more than a decade of service as director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections since 2013. Stirling took the oath of office in a private ceremony at the federal courthouse in Columbia and assumed oversight of 120 prosecutors and other employees across four offices in the state. The appointment followed the departure of Adair Boroughs, who had served under the previous administration.

McMaster appointed Joel Anderson, deputy director for operations at the South Carolina Department of Corrections, to serve as acting head of the agency on April 28, 2025. The appointment occurred the same day that Bryan Stirling, the previous director, was sworn in as U.S. attorney for South Carolina. Anderson assumed leadership of the department, which operates 21 state prisons with approximately 16,500 inmates and 4,000 staff members.

President Donald Trump selected Bryan Stirling, director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections since 2014, for a 120-day interim appointment as U.S. Attorney for South Carolina, effective April 28, 2025. Stirling replaced Adair Ford Boroughs, who had been appointed under President Joe Biden and was terminated by the Trump administration in February 2025. Stirling's interim appointment was expected to be followed by formal nomination and Senate confirmation to make him permanent U.S. Attorney for the state.

The Nuclear Company opened its largest office in downtown Columbia, South Carolina in April 2025, with plans to create more than 100 jobs in engineering and construction. Governor McMaster announced the office opening and stated that the company's arrival strengthens the state's economy and meets South Carolina's growing energy needs. The Nuclear Company is assessing sites for its first group of 6-gigawatt nuclear reactors using what it describes as a design-once, build-many construction method.

McMaster appeared at a March Statehouse press conference with House and Senate leadership to promote a proposal to consolidate South Carolina's progressive three-tiered income tax structure into a flat 3.99 percent rate for all taxpayers. The plan was presented as a means to increase economic competitiveness and create a fairer tax system. According to fiscal analysis, the proposal would increase taxes for approximately 60 percent of earners while directing tax cut benefits primarily to higher-income taxpayers.

Governor McMaster received H.4014 from the South Carolina legislature in April 2025, legislation that abolished eight constituent school boards operating within the Charleston County School District since 1968. The bill passed the House in March 2025 on a vote initiated by Representative Joe Bustos and received Senate approval on April 23, 2025, with final passage sent to McMaster for signature. The abolished boards had maintained separate disciplinary procedures and attendance zones across the county school district.

President Trump signed an executive order on April 2, 2025, implementing temporary tariffs on imports from 90 countries, with higher rates applied to nations with larger trade deficits with the United States. South Carolina shrimpers, who harvest wild-caught warmwater shrimp, viewed the tariffs as potentially beneficial to their industry, which has faced competition from imported frozen shrimp from Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Ecuador. Vietnam faced a 46 percent tariff, Indonesia 32 percent, and India 26 percent under the executive order.

Governor McMaster nominated Myra Reece to lead the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services on a permanent basis after she served as interim director since January 2016. Reece advanced to the Senate floor following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on April 15, 2025, where she faced questioning regarding her views on climate change and the department's regulatory implementation. The committee approved her nomination by a narrow margin, setting up an expected floor vote to confirm her permanent appointment.

The South Carolina Senate passed H.3309, legislation that streamlines the permitting process for utilities to construct new power generation facilities while maintaining consumer protections established following the V.C. Summer nuclear project. The bill requires utilities to prioritize demand-side energy efficiency programs and renewable energy development. The Senate added provisions requiring new computer data centers to pay the full cost of transmission, distribution, and power plant construction needed to serve them, along with requirements for longer-term contracts, collateral deposits, and compensation for stranded costs if data centers relocate.

Governor Henry McMaster suspended North Charleston Councilman Mike Brown from public office in February 2025 following federal corruption charges including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery. Brown was charged in connection with an FBI investigation that resulted in charges against eight people, including three city councilmembers. District 1 will remain without representation on city council unless Brown resigns, as the next general election is scheduled for 2027.

The South Carolina General Assembly announced in April 2025 that it would eliminate budget earmarks, which are one-time funds allocated for projects in individual legislators' districts. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Harvey Peeler and House Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister jointly stated that the $290 million in surplus funds previously used for these earmarks would instead be redirected to reduce the state's top income tax rate from 6.2 percent to 6 percent. This tax reduction primarily benefited individuals earning over $100,000 annually.

Governor Henry McMaster presented the Governor's Award for Excellence in Scientific Research to Steven A. Kautz, Ph.D., a Distinguished University Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina with over 30 years of research experience in stroke rehabilitation and neural-based functional recovery. McMaster also presented the Governor's Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Scientific Research to Jennifer Dahne, Ph.D., a tenured professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences whose research addresses tobacco use, depression, and digital health solutions for underserved populations. The awards, established in 1985, recognize achievements and contributions to science in South Carolina that exemplify the quality and extent of scientific activity in the state.

McMaster nominated Dr. Edward Simmer to serve as the first director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health. The South Carolina Medical Affairs Committee voted unfavorably on Simmer's nomination on April 3, 2025, preventing his advancement. The failed nomination occurred during Week 12 of the South Carolina legislative session.

The South Carolina Senate passed legislation on April 3, 2025, by a vote of 38-3 that reforms the state's energy permitting process and authorizes the conversion of a coal-fired power plant near Canadys to natural gas by Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper. The bill creates an expedited permitting process for utility projects and makes Public Services Commission regulatory decisions immediately appealable to the state Supreme Court. The legislation represents a compromise agreement between industry and environmental groups, though some stakeholders expressed concern about provisions that could assign construction costs of newly built power plants to ratepayers.

Governor McMaster announced a proposal to shift South Carolina's income tax system from a progressive three-tier structure to a flat 3.99 percent rate, citing the state's 6.2 percent top income tax rate as a competitive disadvantage in attracting businesses. A fiscal impact statement subsequently revealed that approximately 60 percent of taxpayers would experience tax increases under the proposal, while only those earning $150,000 annually or more would immediately benefit. Following public backlash, Republican lawmakers abandoned the proposal, with six bill sponsors removing their names from sponsorship.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case brought by South Carolina challenging whether states can terminate Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, with the state arguing that Medicaid patients should not have the right to sue to choose their preferred provider. South Carolina contended that eliminating such lawsuits would reduce public legal expenses and that patients could pursue administrative appeals if denied coverage, though justices including Amy Coney Barrett questioned the practicality of this alternative for low-income patients. Planned Parenthood argued that federal law grants patients the right to select their own qualified healthcare provider and that lawsuits are necessary to enforce this protection.

In July 2018, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services terminated Planned Parenthood South Atlantic from the state's Medicaid program following action by Governor McMaster to cut off funding to the organization. McMaster stated the action was intended to "terminate abortion clinics as Medicaid providers." The case, Medina vs. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, proceeded to the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in April 2025 on whether the state could exclude the organization from its Medicaid program.

Governor McMaster and South Carolina legislative leaders announced a plan in March 2025 to reconfigure the state's income tax system by eliminating the state income tax and shifting the tax calculation method from federal taxable income to federal adjusted gross income. The plan included approximately $200 million in annual tax cuts with projections of at least $2.7 billion in reduced annual tax collections over time. The proposal would increase income tax obligations for approximately half of South Carolina's adult population while reducing overall state tax revenue.

Governor McMaster announced a flat-rate income tax plan on March 25 that would replace South Carolina's current progressive tax rates of zero, three, and 6.2 percent with a single rate of 3.99 percent while expanding the portion of income subject to taxation. According to a 2023 state Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office analysis of a similar proposal, the change would shift approximately 1.06 billion dollars in tax liability among taxpayers, with over 66 percent of filers paying increased amounts and 19 percent paying less. McMaster framed the proposal as a measure to increase South Carolina's competitiveness by establishing the lowest top income tax rate in the Southeast.

Governor McMaster issued an executive order in 2018 directing the state Department of Health and Human Services to remove abortion clinics from the Medicaid program. South Carolina subsequently pursued legal action seeking to block Planned Parenthood from providing non-abortion health care services to Medicaid recipients, a case the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear with oral arguments scheduled for April 2, 2025. The case, Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, centers on whether the Medicaid Act's any qualified provider provision gives beneficiaries the right to choose a specific provider.

Governor McMaster sought to replace six members of the Santee Cooper board through nominations submitted to the South Carolina Senate on March 25, 2025. The proposed nominees included former U.S. Representative Jeff Duncan, lawyer Robert Bolchoz, financial planner Brian Frerichs, retired utility executive James Howle, engineer Timothy Tilley, and attorney Hugh Wilcox Jr. The replacements would remove five of the remaining directors who were overseeing the utility during the V.C. Summer nuclear project's collapse, which resulted in significant cost overruns and project abandonment in 2017.

A South Carolina Senate committee recommended the removal of Treasurer Curtis Loftis following a three-year investigation into a $1.8 billion accounting error. The committee's report, comprising more than 650 pages of findings released in March 2025, documented what it characterized as deception and incompetence in Loftis's handling of state funds, including an allegation that he violated federal law by refusing to redirect Housing Assistance funds that had been incorrectly moved to the general fund. The U.S. Treasury issued a Notice of Noncompliance against Loftis in March 2025 regarding his failure to correct the misplaced funds.

McMaster declared a state of emergency for an ongoing forest fire in Pickens County on March 25, 2025. The declaration mobilized state resources to respond to the active wildfire situation. The emergency declaration was announced as part of a broader South Carolina Lede episode covering state government actions that week.

McMaster participated in the March 25, 2025 announcement by South Carolina House Republican leadership of a proposal to convert the state's multi-tier income tax system to a flat tax rate of approximately 4 percent. The plan would reduce the state's top income tax rate from 6.2 percent to the lowest in the Southeast while implementing tax increases on approximately 44 percent of South Carolina residents who currently do not pay state income taxes. The changes would be reflected in state withholding tables, increasing paychecks while reducing tax refunds during tax season.

President Trump issued an executive order on March 20, 2025, directing the U.S. Department of Education to begin dismantling itself and return education authority to states and local communities. Trump stated that core federal funding streams for South Carolina schools, including Title I funding for low-income schools, special education funding, and Pell grants for low-income students, would be fully preserved during the department's closure. The order did not specify timelines or implementation procedures for the department's dismantling.

State Senator Matt Leber announced at a March 21 press conference that Senator Larry Grooms included a proviso in the state budget to penalize individuals appointed to local boards and commissions who do not take an oath to the U.S. Constitution, as well as county governments that fail to enforce the requirement. Under the proposed provision, appointees who refuse to swear fidelity to the Constitution would lose their position and salary, while counties that do not enforce the oath requirement would lose state funding. Leber stated the penalties could take effect shortly after Governor Henry McMaster signs the budget in May.

Governor McMaster nominated Dr. Edward Simmer to serve as the first director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health, and Simmer appeared before the Senate Medical Affairs Committee on March 20, 2025, for his confirmation hearing. During the hearing, Simmer testified about threats and harassment he had received since his nomination, including abusive letters, vandalism to his vehicle with a device designed to resemble an explosive device, and social media attacks related to his pandemic-related public health recommendations. Simmer's nomination has faced opposition from members of the Statehouse Freedom Caucus and various social media accounts, with critics objecting to his positions on masking and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

McMaster appointed a nominee to lead the newly created Public Health Department, according to reporting on his actions during the 2025 legislative session. The appointment followed weeks of legislative activity at the South Carolina Statehouse, including a tort reform compromise that achieved breakthrough status in late-night Senate deliberations. McMaster also engaged with reporters regarding a pending Senate report on an $1.8 billion accounting error and his selection of a familiar figure from the state Department of Social Services to run that agency on a full-time basis.

Governor McMaster suspended Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen Gardner from office on March 12, 2025, following Gardner's indictment on nine counts of public corruption. McMaster appointed Clemson Wright, a special agent with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division since 2018, as interim sheriff. Gardner and former county supervisor Tiffany Cooks appeared in court on March 14, 2025, where a judge set $100,000 personal recognizance bonds for each defendant.

Governor McMaster called for a "nuclear power renaissance" in his January 29 State of the State address to the General Assembly, stating that expansion of nuclear power would provide America with clean, resilient energy while supporting South Carolina's economic prosperity. McMaster's remarks emphasized nuclear energy's role in attracting data centers and manufacturing facilities to the state by providing affordable and dependable electricity. The governor's statement linked nuclear power expansion to both existing facility upgrades and exploration of new nuclear technologies.

Governor McMaster issued Executive Order 2025-13 upon receiving the indictment of Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen Renard Gardner, immediately suspending Gardner from office. McMaster appointed Clemson Wright, Jr., a special agent with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division since 2018, to serve as interim Williamsburg County sheriff. Wright will remain in the position until Gardner is acquitted, the indictment is otherwise disposed of, or until a new sheriff is elected and qualifies in the next general election for county sheriff.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced a nine-count indictment against Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen Renard Gardner and former Williamsburg County Supervisor Tiffany Teonta Cooks following a year-long SLED investigation into allegations of money laundering and public corruption. The indictment alleged that Gardner and Cooks conspired to funnel government funds to Gardner in amounts exceeding his regular salary, with the funds used for his personal benefit and structured to avoid tax withholdings. Governor McMaster suspended Sheriff Gardner from office upon the announcement of the charges, with Clemson Wright Jr. appointed as interim sheriff pending the outcome of the indictment.

McMaster advocated for the passage of S.244, the South Carolina Justice Act, which would modify the state's joint and several liability laws to implement a "Fair Share" rule limiting business liability to damages proportional to their assigned level of fault. McMaster stated that current liability laws place disproportionate financial burdens on small businesses in the hospitality industry, particularly bars and restaurants, by allowing them to be held responsible for full verdicts even when found minimally at fault. According to McMaster, the proposed legislation would reduce frivolous litigation risks and insurance costs while maintaining legal protections for consumers.

Governor Henry McMaster suspended North Charleston City Council District 1 Councilman Mike A. Brown following charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery. Brown's council seat remained unrepresented pending the outcome of his judicial proceedings. The suspension occurred amid a broader corruption scandal that resulted in charges against multiple city officials and prompted calls for municipal reform.

Governor McMaster attended a March 6, 2025 ceremony in Hardeeville to announce that California-based TS Conductor would establish a manufacturing plant in Jasper County with a planned $134 million investment across three phases. The electric conductor manufacturer committed to creating 462 jobs at the facility, which will produce high-capacity power lines for electrical grid expansion. South Carolina's Commerce Department approved tax credits for the company contingent on meeting investment and job creation targets and awarded a $5.1 million grant to Jasper County for site preparation and construction.

Governor Henry McMaster suspended District 1 Councilman Mike Brown from office after Brown was charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery regarding programs receiving federal funds. Brown had not resigned from his seat as of the article's publication date, leaving his district unrepresented pending the outcome of his case scheduled for arraignment on March 11. A special election was scheduled for May 27 to fill the vacant council seats in Districts 3 and 5, whose representatives had resigned following federal corruption charges.

Governor McMaster expressed support for Senate 244, a bill that seeks to reform multiple facets of South Carolina's litigation statutes by limiting cases against doctors, construction companies, bars and restaurants that bear minimal responsibility for injuries. The bill was counted as a top legislative priority by the S.C. Chamber of Commerce and was supported by Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey alongside McMaster. The legislation became one of the most controversial pieces discussed in the legislative session, attracting significant public influence campaigns.

Governor McMaster appeared at the South Carolina Statehouse on March 5, 2025, to publicly support Senate Bill 244, a lawsuit reform package designed to modify the state's joint and several liability laws. McMaster stated that current liability rules create uncertainty that harms business prosperity and called for immediate legislative action. The bill would limit plaintiffs' ability to collect damages from multiple defendants regardless of their individual level of fault, a change advocates argue would reduce insurance costs for businesses, particularly in the food, bar, and restaurant industries.

McMaster scheduled a press conference with Senate GOP Leader Shane Massey to express support for S. 244, the tort reform bill, prior to the South Carolina Senate's consideration of the legislation. The press conference was planned for 11 a.m. on the morning the Senate was set to resume debate on the tort reform measure. This action represented McMaster's public alignment with the legislative effort to reform tort law in South Carolina.

McMaster issued a state of emergency declaration following wildfires in the Grand Strand and Pee Dee areas over the weekend. The declaration included a ban on outdoor burning, with violations subject to fines and potential jail time. The emergency order was intended to address fire safety risks in the affected regions.

The South Carolina House commenced debate on an amended version of a K-12 private school voucher and scholarship bill that excludes the use of Education Lottery dollars. Governor McMaster discussed the House budget plan and indicated a possible veto of certain provisions. The revised legislation represented changes from the original proposal following passage in both chambers.

Governor McMaster signed legislation in 2024 that established constitutional carry in South Carolina, allowing adults legally able to purchase handguns to carry them in public without permits. Lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 160 in 2025 to require prosecutors to dismiss pending gun possession charges that became legal under the constitutional carry law, though McMaster's office stated the governor does not support the legislation. McMaster previously vetoed a similar dismissal bill in 2024, expressing concern that the measure would inappropriately limit prosecutorial discretion and stating that defendants charged under the former law had committed unlawful acts at the time of their alleged conduct.

McMaster called for Congress to extend the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which are set to expire or have already expired. McMaster stated that allowing these tax cuts to lapse would increase taxes on manufacturers and diminish their competitiveness in international markets. McMaster cited South Carolina's manufacturing sector, which employs 300,000 workers and generates over $200 billion in annual economic impact, as evidence of the importance of maintaining the existing tax code.

McMaster issued a proclamation on February 5 designating that date as "South Carolina Native Nations Day" to coincide with the signing of the Tribal Alliance of South Carolina Nations Treaty in Columbia. The proclamation acknowledged the alliance's commitment to political and economic cooperation among nine recognized tribes and the preservation of individual and collective tribal cultures. The designation recognized the milestone agreement in which Native American tribal leaders across South Carolina pledged unity in addressing challenges facing Indigenous communities.

The South Carolina Senate confirmed Thomas S. Mullikin as director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources in a unanimous vote on February 12, 2025, following his appointment by Governor Henry McMaster. Mullikin, an environmental attorney and retired major general, assumed the position as chief administrator of the agency, replacing Robert H. Boyles Jr. who retired after more than 30 years of service. Mullikin was sworn into office by Senate President Thomas C. Alexander.

McMaster attended a groundbreaking ceremony on February 3, 2026, for a $200 million Interstate 77 interchange project near the Scout Motors manufacturing facility in Blythewood, South Carolina. The new Exit 26 is designed to serve as the primary access point for the Scout Motors plant, which represents a $2 billion investment in the state. The interchange project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, along with related infrastructure improvements including a realignment of U.S. 21 and a new railroad bridge for factory supply transport.

The S.C. Fiscal Accountability Authority withdrew $111 million in bonds designated for Envision Automotive Energy Supply Co. on February 4, 2025, after the company announced it was delaying plans for a second battery manufacturing facility in Florence County. The company stated that increased production efficiency at its first facility would meet customer demand without the second plant, which had been projected to create 1,080 jobs and represent a $1.5 billion investment. No funds had been distributed prior to the withdrawal of the bond financing.

Governor McMaster signed Bill H. 3503 into law in 2023, establishing felony penalties for fentanyl trafficking and possession in South Carolina. The legislation created enhanced criminal penalties for fentanyl offenses compared to other controlled substances and set mandatory minimum sentences ranging from five to fifteen years depending on the quantity involved and offense number. First-time offenders face up to five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine, while subsequent offenses carry progressively increased penalties.

McMaster urged lawmakers to eliminate South Carolina's personal income tax, building on previous efforts to reduce the state's top personal income tax rate to 6 percent. During his State of the State address, McMaster called for legislators to "keep cutting as much and as fast as we can until we can eliminate the personal income tax altogether." McMaster made this proposal while flanked by House Speaker Murrell Smith and Senate President Tom Alexander.

Governor McMaster sought federal approval for a Section 1115 waiver to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income parents in South Carolina, contingent upon beneficiaries meeting work, education, or community service requirements. The state had previously obtained such a waiver in 2019 under the Trump administration, which was subsequently revoked by the Biden administration before implementation. McMaster resubmitted the waiver request with a narrower focus to address the coverage gap affecting approximately 80,000 South Carolinians who earn too much for Medicaid but too little to qualify for Affordable Care Act subsidies.

McMaster endorsed an effort by the South Carolina Senate to find private buyers for two unfinished reactors at the V.C. Summer nuclear plant near Columbia. The reactors were abandoned in 2017 when construction was only partially complete after Santee Cooper and SCE&G had spent approximately nine billion dollars on the project. McMaster's support aimed to restart construction through private bidders who would either assume the project themselves or propose alternative approaches to complete the work.

The South Carolina Senate passed a school voucher bill funded by state Education Lottery dollars during the third week of the 2025 legislative session. The bill, sponsored by Senate Education Chairman Greg Hembree, establishes a K-12 education voucher program utilizing lottery revenue to provide educational funding options. The legislation advanced through the chamber following debate among senators on January 30, 2025.

McMaster delivered his annual State of the State address on January 29, 2025, and called for the revival of the VC Summer nuclear plant expansion project. The project had been abandoned earlier during his administration following scandal and controversy. McMaster characterized the revival effort as a feasible approach to address the state's energy needs.

During his State of the State address on January 29, 2025, McMaster called for the South Carolina General Assembly to lower the state's top income tax rate from 6.2 percent to 6 percent and beyond. McMaster also outlined additional proposals including removal of restrictions on natural gas, preparation for nuclear power development, a review of the state's 42 licensing boards, and a 90-day deadline for the Department of Environmental Services to make permitting decisions. The Aiken County delegation, including Republican State Senator Tom Young Jr., expressed support for McMaster's vision for continued economic growth and improved state services.

President Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office that paused the disbursement of federal funds for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, affecting South Carolina's $70 million allocation under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. The order requires the Federal Highway Administration and other agencies to review their processes, policies, and programs for issuing grants and financial disbursements related to EV chargers within 90 days to ensure alignment with the administration's policies. The South Carolina Department of Transportation, which administers the state's NEVI program, stated it is awaiting further direction from the Federal Highway Administration to determine how to proceed.

Governor McMaster included a proposal in his executive budget to raise starting teacher salaries in South Carolina to $50,000. McMaster stated that this increase should not be the final step and emphasized that educated young people are necessary for the state. The governor's proposal was presented as a starting point to address teacher retention and vacancy issues across South Carolina.

Governor McMaster proposed legislation at the start of the 2025 legislative session to remove the requirement that lottery tickets be purchased with cash, allowing debit card purchases instead. The proposal was intended to increase lottery revenue that would fund a private school voucher program, which had previously been struck down by the state Supreme Court. McMaster acknowledged his prior opposition to state-sponsored gambling but indicated the change was necessary to maintain revenue for education spending.

McMaster nominated Dr. Edward Simmer, former director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control, to serve as commissioner of the newly formed South Carolina Department of Public Health. McMaster issued a public statement defending Simmer against criticism from Senate Republicans and conservative groups, asserting that allegations against Simmer lacked factual basis. Simmer's nomination faced opposition centered on his role in South Carolina's public health response during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor McMaster announced his Executive Budget for fiscal year 2025-2026, which included a reduction in the state's personal income tax rate from 6.2% to 6%, providing taxpayers with an additional $193.5 million in retained earnings. The budget also allocated $50 million to the Department of Transportation for unreimbursed Hurricane Helene costs, $40 million to replenish disaster relief funds, and $150 million to establish the South Carolina Public Assistance program for local disaster recovery. Additional budget provisions included funding for teacher pay raises, school resource officers in every school, and $13.7 million to the Department of Environmental Services to reduce permit application backlogs and establish a 90-day permitting decision timeline.

On January 15, 2025, Governor McMaster announced that South Carolina would raise U.S. flags to full-staff on January 20, 2025, for President Donald Trump's inauguration, despite President Joe Biden's order that flags remain at half-staff for thirty days following former President Jimmy Carter's death on December 29, 2024. McMaster stated he had researched federal flag code and determined that inauguration day required flags at full-staff, and indicated he would lower them back to half-staff after January 20 to continue honoring Carter. McMaster joined several other Republican governors including Greg Abbott, Ron DeSantis, and Kay Ivey in making the same directive.

McMaster proposed $240 million in disaster relief funding as part of his 2025-26 budget proposal unveiled on January 13, 2025, following severe damage from Hurricane Helene and other storms during the 2024 storm season. The allocation represents one of the largest single line items in the state budget for that fiscal year and addresses damages including 6,300 damaged homes, 912 road and bridge closures, and $621 million in agricultural losses. McMaster's request supplements federal disaster relief funding, with the state providing resources for damages that are projected to be ineligible for federal reimbursement.

McMaster issued a State of Emergency declaration on January 10, 2025, in response to a major winter storm affecting South Carolina. The declaration was intended to provide assistance to state emergency crews responding to winter weather conditions across the state. McMaster urged South Carolina residents to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary and to take appropriate safety measures as road conditions were expected to worsen.

The article discusses a proposed change to make South Carolina's treasurer and comptroller general appointed positions rather than elected offices. This reform emerged in response to accountability concerns following the discovery of $1.8 billion in unexplained state funds under Treasurer Curtis Loftis's oversight. The proposal addresses systemic governance issues regarding competence and accountability in managing state finances.

In April 2025, McMaster signed legislation designed to assist South Carolina farmers in protecting farmland from development through conservation easements that restrict how acreage may be utilized. The law was enacted amid economic pressures facing the state's agricultural sector, including extreme weather, rising land prices, and succession challenges that have contributed to the loss of approximately 2,400 crop-yielding farms since 2000. The measure represents one of several state efforts to support the sustainability of locally owned small and mid-sized farms in South Carolina.