April 19th Weekly Update
Sunday, April 19, 2026
WEEK 14 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Income Tax Cuts, Protecting Communities, and Supporting Families
Last week at the State House, we cut taxes, advanced public safety measures, and passed legislation to protect our communities, support families, and strengthen key South Carolina industries. From putting more money back in your pocket to standing up for our shrimping industry and improving school safety, we’re focused on practical solutions that make a real difference in your day-to-day life. Here’s what you need to know. Also, this week we held a Joint Assembly to hear from SC Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kittredge as well as to elect University Trustees for a number of open or renewing positions. He spoke about the desperate need for more judges across South Carolina, which is the main reason for the tremendous backlog in cases. While it has gotten better in the last several years, it is still woefully behind.
Income Tax Cut Signed into Law
Last week, H.4216 was officially signed into law, delivering meaningful, immediate tax relief for hardworking South Carolina families. This legislation provides over a $308 million tax cut, lowers the top income tax rate from 6% to 5.21%, and puts more money back into your paycheck—where it belongs, not in the hands of Columbia bureaucrats. Just as importantly, this bill puts South Carolina on a responsible path toward a simpler, flatter tax system, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the state income tax altogether. As our economy continues to grow and key financial benchmarks are met, income tax rates will continue to drop, moving us closer to zero in a way that is both sustainable and fiscally responsible. This is not a tax swap like we’ve seen in other states. We are cutting taxes without shifting the burden elsewhere such as higher sales or property taxes, focused on real relief today while building a stronger, more competitive future for South Carolina. I have brought this up before, but would like to reiterate that there is a lot of misinformation about our new tax law. While I do not agree with everything about this tax rate cut and worked hard to make it better, it was unacceptable to remain as the highest tax rate in the Southeast. Those that will pay more in the first year are way less than those that will pay less. Most of them are people who were paying zero due to substantial Federal deductions. If you would like to discuss this further, feel free to email me back with questions.
This past Friday morning in Marion Square, the Fourth Brigade of the Washington Light Infantry held a very special ceremony to unveil a bronze plaque on the flagpole honoring the 39 South Carolina Medal of Honor recipients. Col. Dale Theiling, Chairman of the Board of Field Officers of the Fourth Brigade served as Master of Ceremonies. He shared some of the stories of our SC recipients' heroism that led to their being named as Medal of Honor recipients. Maj. Gen. Jim Livingston, MOH, Marines (Ret.) was the Senior Honoree, and along with Donnell Baker, widow of Sgt. John Baker, Jr. MOH, USA commenced with the unveiling of the plaque. He then shared remarks regarding the importance of telling the stories to our young people to inspire them to greatness.I presented the Fourth Brigade of the Washington Light Infantry with both US and SC flags that had been flown over the SC State House, along with Certificates of Authenticity.
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Protecting Our Communities & Local Industries
We also made strong progress on legislation aimed at protecting South Carolinians and standing up for our local industries. The Truth in Labeling Bill (H.4248) passed the House unanimously! This is a major win for our coastal communities and local shrimpers. By requiring clear country-of-origin labeling, this bill ensures consumers know exactly what they’re buying, prevents imported seafood from being passed off as local, and gives South Carolina shrimpers a fair shot to compete and thrive in their own market.
We also passed H.3408 out of the House Judiciary Committee to protect South Carolina land and critical resources from foreign adversaries. This bill restricts foreign ownership of agricultural land and property near sensitive military and infrastructure sites, helping safeguard our farmland, strengthen national security, and ensure South Carolina’s future stays in the hands of Americans, not hostile foreign actors.
Next, H.4641 advanced out of the House Judiciary Committee, building on existing state law to crack down on highly concentrated, synthetic kratom products that go far beyond traditional use. This bill closes loopholes from a bill passed into law last year, and ensures these dangerous substances are kept off the market, protecting South Carolinians and prioritizing public safety.
Supporting Families & Protecting Children
We also sent H.4756, the Student Physical Privacy Act, to the Governor’s desk last week because every girl deserves to feel safe at school. This legislation protects privacy in restrooms and locker rooms by establishing clear, commonsense standards families across South Carolina have been asking for. This bill puts parents back in the driver’s seat and ensures our schools remain safe, respectful environments for every student.
Supporting families and protecting our most vulnerable continues to be a top priority. S.32 passed both chambers and is headed to the Governor’s desk, creating tax credits to support pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, and organizations that assist victims of human trafficking. This legislation strengthens the network of care available to women, children, and victims who need it most.
In a unanimous 105-0 vote, the House passed H.4611, ensuring that mothers of stillborn babies receive paid parental leave. This compassionate measure provides support to families during one of the most difficult moments they can face, and it reflects our commitment to standing with South Carolinians in times of both joy and hardship.
Last but not least, H.5201 Safe School Act advanced through the House Education Committee. This bill strengthens coordination between law enforcement, schools, and state agencies to create clear, unified safety plans. Every parent should feel confident that their child is safe at school, and every teacher and staff member deserves that same peace of mind.
Around the District and the Lowcountry
This week in the State House we welcomed and honored a very special young lady from the Lowcountry who just happens to be the daughter of our Charleston County Superintendent of Schools, Anita Huggins. Jenny Huggins was recently crowned “Miss Clemson” and was presented with a congratulatory House Resolution not just for her beauty on the outside, but more importantly, for the tremendous work she is doing to help underprivileged individuals and families across South Carolina regarding dental care. While leveraging her position as Miss Clemson has helped bring positive attention to this very important cause, her focus remains squarely on serving these people who in many cases, lack any dental care at all. Through the organization she created, More Than a Smile, she has raised tens of thousands of dollars that has been utilized to provide dental checkups in clinics throughout our state. We are proud to recognize Jenny’s achievements and wish her continued success in this and her future endeavors!
This past Thursday, the Charleston County Republican Party held a casual meet-up for members at Crush Yard in Mount Pleasant. Many members were in attendance, some of whom had just moved here or just joined the group recently. It was great to see all our neighbors and friends who were able to come out to enjoy this event. The elected officials in attendance were Rep. Joe Bustos and myself, as well as District 8 Solicitor David Stumbo, who is running for SC Attorney General and traveled all the way down from the Upstate with his wife Vanessa to get to know voters in the Lowcountry. David is a lifelong Republican who has been in law enforcement his entire career. With so much attention currently on the Gubernatorial and 1st Congressional District races, it would be natural to forget about Attorney General, but this is a critical office. Please take the time to learn more about David Stumbo as well as the other candidates for this position before making a decision about whom to support. In case you missed the event or did not get to meet David, here is a link to why he is running for Attorney General.
The Republican Primary is only 51 days away on Tuesday, June 9th. As with any elected office, name recognition is NOT the most important factor in how well an individual will serve in the job. While people want to feel like they know a person before voting for them, and it is very important for candidates to get their name and platform out in front of us, just knowing their name is not nearly enough. Remember, notorious criminals have tremendous name recognition, but you wouldn’t want to accidentally vote one into office just because you heard of them! In today’s environment, we have plenty of attention-grabbing antics to go around, which does create name recognition. What we need for our leaders in office are serious-minded individuals with a proven track record of getting things done and an honest platform of who they are and the values they represent.
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to represent you and to keep you informed about the work being done in Columbia. I welcome your feedback and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or would like more information on these or other issues before the General Assembly.
