Washington, D.C. – Club for Growth Foundation released its 2025 South Carolina State Economic Scorecard, ranking how every lawmaker in Columbia voted on limited government policies.
The Scorecard analyzes policies and votes to assign an Economic Growth Score from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the highest support for pro-growth policies. In 2025, the Foundation’s study examined over 875 floor votes and, in the end, included 11 South Carolina House votes and 11 South Carolina Senate votes.
“South Carolina lawmakers betrayed conservative values this session,” said Club for Growth Foundation President David McIntosh. “After expanding school freedom and streamlining energy production, the legislature reversed course. A bloated public housing tax scheme, 4.8% budget increase, and $940 million tax hike hitting 60% of residents will risk South Carolina’s economic success for years.”
Click here to view the full 2025 South Carolina State Economic Scorecard from the Club for Growth Foundation.
Key Highlights from the 2025 South Carolina Scorecard
South Carolina House:
- Average Republican Score: 51%
- Average Democratic Score: 25%
- Highest Rated Republican(s): 17 Republicans scored 100%
- Highest Rated Democrat(s): Rep. Jermaine Johnson (HD-52): 58%
- Lowest Rated Republican(s): Rep. Neal Collins (HD-5): 14%
- Lowest Rated Democrat(s): Rep. Jackie Hayes (HD-55): 11%
South Carolina Senate:
- Average Republican Score: 65%
- Average Democrat Score: 22%
- Highest Rated Republican(s): Sen. Tom Fernandez (SD-39): 88%
- Highest Rated Democrat(s): Sen. Kent Williams (SD-30): 44%
- Lowest Rated Republican(s): Sen. Shane Martin (SD-13): 36%
- Lowest Rated Democrat(s): Sen. Karl Allen (SD-7): 8%
Notable Pro-Limited Government Legislation:
H. 3309 – RELIABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
- Streamlines the regulatory review process for energy projects to 6 months
- Authorizes a pilot program for small modular nuclear reactors pending approval by the Nuclear Advisory Council
- Greenlights the conversion of a retired coal plant into a new natural gas facility
- Establishes a new “economic development” research center at the University of South Carolina
S. 62 – SIGNIFICANT SCHOOL CHOICE EXPANSION
- Restores the state’s school choice program by establishing the Education Scholarship Trust Fund, which provides a per-pupil allocation of $7,500 for tutoring, textbooks, private school tuition, and other eligible education expenses
- Greatly increases eligibility for low-income students, erasing geographic restrictions and raising the income limit from 300 percent of the federal poverty level to 500 percent over two years, making 85 percent of K-12 students in South Carolina eligible
S. 244 – SIGNIFICANT TORT REFORM
- Eliminates a loophole that allows a party with as little as 1 percent fault being forced to pay 100 percent of damages
- Ensures that a verdict will benefit a defendant if a plaintiff bears more than 50 percent responsibility
- Provides for additional defendants to be selected as a setoffs or for nonparties who may have contributed to damages to be listed on the jury verdict form
- Prohibits venue shopping
- Preserves the ability for defendants to argue liability for non-party defendants
Notable Anti-Limited Government Legislation:
H. 3333 – GOVERNMENT HOUSING TAX SCHEME
- Expands the types of projects that can be undertaken in the redevelopment of federal military installations to include low-income government housing
- Allows existing redevelopment authorities to direct all property tax revenue within a dedicated tax increment financing (TIF) district to government housing for households whose income does not exceed 80 percent of the area’s median income
- Extends TIF property tax obligations for these projects from 15 to 35 years
H. 4025 – BIG SPENDING BUDGET AGREEMENT
- Allocates $41.6 billion in total spending for the state budget
- Represents a 4.8 percent increase in the year-over-year recurring base of the general fund, including a 7.8 percent increase in the Department of Social Services, a 3.6 percent increase in Medicaid spending, a 4.2 percent increase in the Department of Education, and a 67 percent increase for the State Museum Commission
- Incorporates $106 million in additional spending for government employee health plans and an across-the-board 3.2 percent meritless pay raise for all teachers
- Modestly lowers the individual income tax from 6.2 percent to 6 percent
H. 4216 – DESTRUCTIVE FAKE INCOME TAX REFORMS
- Implements a flat income tax rate of 3.99 percent, condensed from the existing three tiers of 6.2 percent, 3 percent, and 0 percent
- Creates a perverse trigger for future income tax rate reductions, set at 5 percent annual year-over-year increases in tax revenue
- Provides an overall $216 million in tax cuts, but does so at the expense of 60 percent of South Carolina families, who face nearly $940 million in tax hikes
Note: This Scorecard is based on selected votes and does not reflect a legislator’s entire voting record. The Club for Growth Foundation does not endorse or oppose any legislator for public office.