The DOGE Bill, DEI Ban, and Energy Security; Delivering Results:

I am proud to be working with my fellow caucus members to fight for conservative reforms that put South Carolinians first. While liberals push bloated government, identity politics, and reckless spending, we are taking bold action to rein in wasteful spending, secure South Carolina’s energy future, eliminate conflicts of interest in auditing, and permanently eliminate DEI programs in our state agencies and schools. This week, we introduced and advanced key conservative legislation to ensure your tax dollars are spent responsibly, strengthen our economy, and uphold the values that make South Carolina great. The work is getting done, and the House Republican Caucus is leading the charge.

Holding Government Accountable & Cutting Waste:

One of the biggest threats to conservative governance is an out-of-control, bloated government that wastes taxpayer money. That’s why I’m working with my caucus colleagues to pass H.3926, the DOGE Bill, which creates the Commission on Fiscal Restraint and Government Efficiency to identify wasteful spending, repeal burdensome regulations, and eliminate unnecessary government programs.
     ● Stops wasteful spending – This commission will review every dollar the state government spends and make recommendations to cut unnecessary programs.
     ● Reduces burdens on businesses – Small businesses and property owners shouldn’t have to fight through miles of red tape.
     ● No new costs to taxpayers – This commission will do its job without adding a dime to the budget.
South Carolinians deserve a leaner, more efficient government that respects taxpayer dollars. House Republicans are making that happen.

Ending DEI Once and for All in South Carolina:

For too long, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies have been used to push identity-based quotas, force ideological training, and undermine merit-based success. I am fighting to stop this failed social experiment with H.3927, a bill that I co-sponsored that will completely dismantle DEI programs in South Carolina’s government, universities, and public schools.
     ● Bans taxpayer-funded DEI offices, training, and hiring quotas across ALL state agencies, universities, and public schools. No loopholes. No exceptions.
     ● Prevents agencies from renaming DEI programs to skirt the law
     ● Ensures that hiring and education decisions are based on merit—not political ideology
This legislation aligns with President Trump’s leadership at the federal level, where he is eliminating DEI hiring practices and race-based policies. South Carolina is following his lead to ensure fairness, opportunity, and success are based on hard work—not identity politics.

A Stronger Energy Future for South Carolina:

With South Carolina’s economy booming, we must ensure our energy infrastructure keeps up with our growth. I’m supporting H.3309, the South Carolina Energy Security Act, to keep our power supply affordable, reliable, and independent.
    ● Reforms the Public Service Commission to provide stronger oversight of utility companies
    ● Encourages investment in nuclear and renewable energy to keep costs low and ensure long-term reliability
    ● Expands energy transmission and storage capacity to support our growing communities
President Trump has prioritized American energy independence, and here in South Carolina, we’re taking the steps necessary to secure our own energy future. As a side note, you may have seen claims in the news or elsewhere that the problem facing our state regarding energy is primarily due to data centers. This is factually incorrect. Due to South Carolina's popularity as a top state for emigration from other states, we are on the verge of outgrowing our capacity for energy even without adding new data centers. This is a critical need, not a debatable opinion.

Addressing Liquor Liability & Public Safety:

I’m working with House Republicans to find common-sense solutions to address the challenges of rising DUI rates and skyrocketing liquor liability insurance costs that are hurting responsible businesses and even non-profit organizations such as the VFW. This week, we continued discussions on a bill, H.3497, that would:
     ● Require alcohol server training to improve safety standards
     ● Address massive insurance rate hikes that threaten small businesses & organizations
     ● Strengthen DUI laws to prevent reckless behavior
The goal is simple: protect the public, support responsible business owners, and crack down on bad actors who put lives at risk. The House passed changes last year to address these concerns, but it failed to be passed in the Senate. This issue needs to be solved immediately. 

Strengthening Oversight & Eliminating Conflicts in State Auditing:

House Republicans are committed to increasing government accountability and eliminating conflicts of interest. That’s why I’m supporting a critical reform bill, H.3430, that moves the State Auditor under the Governor’s office.
Right now, the Auditor reports to the very people they are supposed to hold accountable—creating a broken system that undermines transparency. This bill fixes that by:
    ● Making the State Auditor a gubernatorial appointment with Senate confirmation
    ● Ensuring the Auditor has independence to conduct reviews without political interference
    ● Implementing a key recommendation from the Alix report on government accountability

This is a common sense conservative reform that will increase transparency, improve oversight, and hold the government accountable.

Around the District and the Lowcountry:

On Tuesday, March 25th, Mount Pleasant will hold a special election to fill the seat vacated by our Sheriff and former Town Councilman Carl Ritchie. What many people do not realize is that since Sheriff Ritchie lives in my District in the north end of Mount Pleasant, we no longer have any representation for all the neighborhoods in the Highway 41 District and beyond all the way to the town limits before Awendaw. This is completely unacceptable, as this area not only includes a huge population of well over a third to nearly half the town's residents (close to half live north of the IOP Connector), but also we have unique problems and issues which cause us to be much better suited having someone who lives here representing us. There are several candidates from our area running for office, and I strongly recommend that you get to know them, choose the one you believe is the best to represent conservative, common-sense ideas, and then go vote on March 25th, and bring 10 friends/neighbors with you! There are already signs all over town for one candidate who lives in the Old Village. The advantage he has is that the Old Village and parts of Mount Pleasant around Johnnie Dodds and Coleman Boulevard traditionally show up to vote for everything. That is what we all should be doing. Ideally, we should coalesce around one strong candidate for our area, and then VOTE!! Otherwise, we will have no one to advocate specifically for the needs of this end of town. Here is the link to the Moultrie News articles so far regarding candidates who live on our end of town:

Bob Swain (Dunes West)
Gary Davis (Bulls Bay)
Brianna Harmon (Commonwealth in Darrell Creek)
Garrett Lacy (he does not live near 41 now, but grew up in Brickyard Plantation)
Mike Van Horn, Sr. (lives just north of the Connector, but seems to be a common sense conservative)

If I have missed someone, please let me know. I am not endorsing any candidate at this time, partly because my regular day job strongly discourages outright endorsements, and partly because I know several of these people individually but am not certain of the qualifications of all of the above. What I must stress, and hope you will share with everyone you know, is that we need a voice to represent the north end of Mount Pleasant. Whoever wins this election will be an incumbent in the upcoming November election, which is for a 4 year term. I am disappointed that I have seen no mention of this by our Council, because they know from experience that the issues facing our area differ from those in the older, more established parts of town. We do not have single member districts, and the outcomes of the last few years' elections and decisions by Council demonstrate that representation from all parts of the community is essential to good governance. 

Finally, as shown in the picture of Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal's FB post, I voted for the increased qualifications to serve as Coroner in South Carolina. It is obvious to me that someone serving in that role should have both medical training and relevant certifications.