ALPHA STRATEGIES | LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE | WEEK 15 Week of April 20, 2026 | South Carolina General Assembly, 126th Session The Senate passed its budget. The House moved through major calendar items. A near-total abortion bill cleared committee, with a Republican breaking ranks to oppose it, and landed on the Senate floor. Hemp regulation is back in the Senate after a long House floor fight. Here is what Week 15 actually means. THE SENATE PASSES ITS BUDGET, AND LOADS IT

ALPHA STRATEGIES | LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE | WEEK 14 Week of April 13, 2026 | South Carolina General Assembly, 126th Session South Carolina lawmakers came back from spring break with a to-do list the size of a phone book and exactly four weeks left to work through it. Welcome to Week 14. The sprinting has officially started. Last week, House members were on furlough while the Senate held a perfunctory session. This week, both chambers gaveled in with purpose. Bills th

ALPHA STRATEGIES | LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE | WEEK 13 Week of April 6, 2026 | South Carolina General Assembly, 126th Session The House left town. The Senate did not. That is the clean version of Week 13. The fuller version is more useful. The House was on furlough. Members went home, worked their districts, and left Columbia to the senators who apparently do not believe in spring break. No drama-heavy floor week. No parade of third readings. Just budget writing, co

ALPHA STRATEGIES | LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE | WEEK 11 Week of March 23, 2026 | South Carolina General Assembly, 126th Session If there is a thread running through the week of March 23 at the South Carolina State House, it is not hemp or highways or even the Student Privacy Act that dominated headlines. It is something quieter and more persistent: the General Assembly's ongoing effort to define, classify, protect, and name. To draw a bright line around who and what b

ALPHA STRATEGIES | LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE | WEEK 10 Week of March 16, 2026 | South Carolina General Assembly, 126th Session There is a simple version of Week 10: the House was on furlough, the Senate passed a hemp bill, and candidate filing opened. It is also incomplete. The House stayed home. The Senate did not. A marathon debate over hemp-derived THC products ended with a failed vote late Wednesday, reconsideration Thursday morning, and final passage Thursday afternoon.

ALPHA STRATEGIES | LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE | WEEK 9 Week of March 9, 2026 | South Carolina General Assembly, 126th Session Let's start with the number that should stop you cold. Fourteen. That is how many bills have been filed this session -- this single legislative session -- seeking to require party registration to vote in a South Carolina partisan primary. Fourteen. Five of them dropped in a single week. Five. In one week. To be fair, some of those fourteen bills have t

ALPHA STRATEGIES | LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE | WEEK 8 Week of March 2, 2026 | South Carolina General Assembly, 126th Session If you wanted one image to capture the range of Week 8 at the South Carolina State House, it might be this: the same building that opened its rotunda to thousands of mourners paying respects to the Rev. Jesse Jackson on Monday closed out Thursday with the House voting to name a highway after Charlie Kirk. That is not a political statement. It is just

Week of February 16, 2026 Let's be honest. If you blinked this week, you missed a lot. Week 6 of the 2026 legislative session was one of those weeks where you had to be in three rooms at once. The Senate was debating generational tax policy on the floor, the House was cranking through a $15.4 billion budget in committee, and in the background, a steady drumbeat of social policy bills kept marching through subcommittees. Welcome to February at the State House! Here's what you

South Carolina legislators tackled major policy discussions this week, shaping the future of education, healthcare, and governance....

After last week’s inclement weather and a perfunctory session, the South Carolina State House returned to full swing with significant...

Greetings from Alpha Strategies! Here’s a recap of the past week’s activity—or lack thereof—at the South Carolina State House:...

This week marked the kickoff of the 126th General Assembly, launching a new two-year legislative session. Here's a look at the key...

Alpha Strategies tracks and analyzes legislative and policy activity in South Carolina to help organizations understand what is changing and why it matters. As we wrap up 2024, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the major political stories and legislative changes that have shaped South Carolina this year. From bold moves to tough debates, this year has been marked by significant decisions that will shape our state’s future for years to come. At Alpha Strategies, we take prid

Here are 10 things to keep in mind: 1️⃣ It’s More Than Just Politics: A good government affairs consultant doesn’t just lobby—they help...