February 23rd Update

Sunday, February 23, 2025

Fighting for South Carolina’s Families, Veterans, and Fiscal Conservatism:

The South Carolina House Republican Caucus remains focused on delivering real results for the people of our state. This week, my colleagues and I took meaningful steps to protect children online, support our veterans, and ensure a responsible state budget that keeps South Carolina thriving. I was glad to support these efforts and will continue fighting for the values that matter to you.
 
Protecting Children Online: Social Media Regulation Act Passes the House:

House Republicans took a bold step this week in the fight to protect South Carolina’s children from the dangers of social media. I voted for the Social Media Regulation Act (H.3431), which establishes critical safeguards to keep kids safe online and ensure parents have control over their children’s digital presence. This bill requires social media platforms to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent for minors under 18 before they can create an account. It also limits harmful content exposure, restricts data collection on minors, and prevents social media companies from using addictive algorithms to keep kids online longer.

Additionally, the bill empowers parents with tools to monitor and set restrictions on their child’s social media use, ensuring they have control over privacy settings, screen time, and interactions. The impact of social media on mental health, online safety, and childhood development is undeniable. House Republicans took a firm stand this week, proving once again that we prioritize parents’ rights and the well-being of South Carolina’s children over Big Tech’s bottom line.

South Carolina’s Veterans: House Passes H.3510:

With almost 400,000 veterans calling South Carolina home, the House Republican Caucus is committed to ensuring they receive the support and services they deserve. This week, I proudly voted for H.3510, which strengthens veterans’ services by increasing state funding for two full-time County Veterans’ Affairs Officers (CVAOs) in each county. At the request of General Todd McCaffrey, South Carolina’s Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs, we acted to ensure that every county has the resources needed to support those who have served. Many county veterans’ offices already employ multiple Veterans’ Affairs officers, and this bill ensures state funding now covers two positions, rather than just one. This investment will improve access to critical benefits, healthcare resources, and support programs for veterans in every part of the state. House Republicans remain steadfast in our commitment to those who have sacrificed so much for our country.

Appointment of Our New Adjutant General for the SC National Guard:

This week the Military Caucus of the House, of which I am a member, convened in order to meet our newly appointed Adjutant General for the SC National Guard, General Rob Stilwell. General Stilwell now awaits confirmation of the Governor's appointment by the Senate in the near future. We had an opportunity to hear about his impressive credentials and experience, and he shared a bit about his goals for the Guard, including continuing to build up our forces. While most people might think the Guard is mainly called up for hurricanes, riots, and other homeland related events, it was very interesting to learn how instrumental our SC National Guard has been in overseas missions. He said that currently the National Guard has approximately 340,000 combat reserve troops of the US Army, and has more soldiers overseas than the active duty troops. The SC National Guard is about 10,000 strong, with 9,000 in the US Army, and 1,000 in the US Air Force. He specifically praised the troops from Mount Pleasant, who are regarded very highly for their readiness! 

 


Building a Responsible, Pro-Growth State Budget:

The budget process is in full swing at the State House, and as a good steward of your tax dollars, I am committed to ensuring we craft a budget that prioritizes fiscal responsibility, tax relief, and strategic investments in our state’s future. With budget subcommittees finalizing their recommendations, House Republicans are focused on:
●       Cutting taxes to keep South Carolina competitive and put money back into your pocket.
●       Investing in our workforce through teacher pay raises and job-training programs.
●       Improving infrastructure by funding road and bridge repairs.
●       Enhancing public safety with increased resources for law enforcement and disaster preparedness.
The budget is not just about numbers—it’s about investing in the people of South Carolina. I will continue working to ensure we fund essential services while keeping government spending in check. Expect a more detailed breakdown in the coming weeks.

Looking Ahead: Expanding School Choice for South Carolina Families:

Our caucus members are committed to giving parents more control over their children’s education, and this week, we made significant progress on expanding school choice. The House Education and Public Works Committee advanced S.62, an important step toward ensuring families have access to Education Scholarship Trust Funds (ESTF) to support their child’s educational needs. This legislation will allow more students—especially children from military families, foster care, and lower-income households—to apply for scholarships that give them access to the best educational opportunities. The bill also includes an important funding mechanism that ensures the General Assembly determines the funding source each year, rather than restricting it to lottery funds. Other key provisions include:

A $6,000 scholarship per student, with built-in increases tied to per-pupil state funding.
Expanded eligibility windows, ensuring children with exceptional needs, military families, and low-income students have priority access.

Increased transparency and accountability, with a designated trustee to oversee funds and ensure proper administration.

The removal of participation caps after year two, allowing the program to expand as funding permits.

This bill will likely move to the House floor for debate next week and I am excited to support this effort to empower families, improve educational outcomes, and expand opportunities for every student in South Carolina.

Around the District and the Lowcountry:

This weekend, young Republicans from around the country convened right here in Charleston for the Annual Young Republicans National Federation gathering. Events were held in various venues around town, and I was delighted to be asked to be a sponsor and to attend the highlight of the weekend, the Golden Age Gala. Congratulations to Micah Rea, Chairman of the SC Young Republicans for a spectacular inaugural celebration. Riley Gaines was the Keynote Speaker, and she presented a very warm, down-to-earth version of the trials and tribulations she has endured, never coming across as a victim, just demonstrating what it meant to stand up to what she called the absurdity of the left's thinking. I was able to meet Riley and speak with her directly, and while she had a tremendous track record in swimming, I can tell you she is not a large person. (She had on high heels in the picture of us, whereas I did not). Her opponent who beat her in the swim competition was not only 6'4", but has a wing span of about 10'. How in the world anyone could possibly think it is fair for women who have worked so hard and trained so long to have to compete against men, regardless of how these biological men think of themselves, is beyond comprehension. While I never had a serious career in sports, I did play volleyball on the Junior Varsity team in high school as well as Intramurals in college, and the very thought of having to face a biological man on the court is as Riley said, absurd. I am so very thankful President Trump signed the Executive Order restoring common sense to women's sports, so that young girls and young women today can enjoy fair competition again. What was stolen from women over the last several years cannot be restored, but at least we have hope for the present and future.

Introducing Riley was Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, who shared very relevant remarks of her own experiences, as well as her gratitude to President Trump not only for signing the Executive Order, but for inviting her to that event to be present because of her efforts to support this important cause. Pamela has a remarkable story of business success, starting her own company many years ago from scratch, and building it up to a billion-dollar enterprise. Governor McMaster chose very well in having Pamela as his second-in-command. It is so interesting that while she has been by his and First Lady Peggy McMaster's side for the last 8 years, and has visited over 200 companies in South Carolina to support them, we do not hear about any drama whatsoever; rather, she does her job with poise and professionalism. I met her husband David last evening, and they have three beautiful children. It is refreshing to see leaders who focus on what voters hired them to do without feeling the need to make headlines on a regular basis. Also joining us at the event were Representatives Tom Hartnett, Jr. and Mark Smith, as well as my guest, our Conservative Talk Radio Host for 94.3FM, Kelly Golden.

Staying Informed:

As the session progresses, I will continue to share updates like this one to keep you informed about the work being done in Columbia. These weekly newsletters are designed to provide insight into legislative priorities, progress, and key developments. If you ever have questions, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your input is invaluable to me and helps ensure that I am representing your needs effectively. Also, please let any neighbors, friends and family in South Carolina know that they can sign up for these newsletters here just by scrolling to the bottom of the page and entering their email. Some of my colleagues in the House do not send out newsletter updates, and most of what I cover affects everyone in the State of South Carolina regardless of the District in which they live.