Governor McMaster Commends Legislative Achievements, Urges Further Reforms for Session’s Conclusion

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster expressed satisfaction with the recent legislative session that concluded last week, highlighting the General Assembly’s actions to raise teacher salaries and implement tax cuts…

However, McMaster emphasized that more work remains to be done before the session concludes permanently. He specifically urged lawmakers to reform the commission responsible for assessing judicial candidates’ qualifications and advocated for resurrecting a bill that would consolidate six state healthcare agencies into a single department, aimed at improving efficiency and coordination of services.

McMaster emphasized the urgency of these reforms, particularly in addressing issues such as youth inappropriately placed in the Department of Juvenile Justice and preventing preventable tragedies like suicides through better organization and coordination of healthcare services.

Despite McMaster’s overall satisfaction with the session, he expressed caution about signing the 50 bills currently on his desk from the final week, including legislation related to college athlete compensation and gender-affirming care for transgender minors, pending careful review.

Additionally, McMaster praised the budget allocation of $200 million to enhance teacher salaries and set a goal for minimum starting salaries to reach $50,000 by 2026.

The governor also called for a compromise on a bill regarding state energy policy and advocated for unity within the Republican Party, citing former President Ronald Reagan’s ethos of not speaking ill of fellow Republicans as a guiding principle.