Public Policy

SCEDA

Legislative Agenda

2023 Legislative Agenda

As the “Voice of Economic Development” in South Carolina, the agenda includes input from hundreds of members, other stakeholders, the Legislative Committee, and the SCEDA Board of Directors.

The 2023 Legislative Agenda is as follows:

• Improve Industrial Site Readiness
• Increase Professional Office Jobs Incentives and Talent
• Support Rural Infrastructure and Revitalization
• Improve Natural Gas Accessibility
• Ensure Sufficient Funding for the SC Department of Commerce Closing Fund

The following is a further explanation of the 2023 SCEDA Legislative Agenda.

Industrial Site Readiness
To increase South Carolina’s ability to land more substantial economic development projects, SCEDA will support significant funding for more industrial site development and readiness.

Professional Office Jobs Incentives and Talent Recruitment
SCEDA will support expanding on the bill passed four years ago that expanded Job Development Credits to include certain professional office jobs to provide more tools to successfully attract office and professional jobs, particularly when it comes to smaller, desirable high-tech office projects. Additionally, SCEDA will support strengthening the state’s competitiveness when it comes to attracting and retaining talent, allowing remote workers, attracting office aligned occupations and the digital economy.

Rural Infrastructure and Revitalization
SCEDA will support increasing funding for rural roads, as well as support rural downtown development incentives and grants for local governments.

Natural Gas Accessibility
SCEDA will support more access to natural gas, removing this barrier for growth.

SC Department of Commerce Closing Fund
SCEDA will support significantly increasing the amount of money for the SC Department of Commerce Closing Fund to maximize the State’s ability to create more jobs and attract more capital investment.

It addition to the issues on its Legislative Agenda, the following are issues that SCEDA will support in 2023.
• Workforce
Development
• Improving Broadband Infrastructure
• Removal of Franchise Fees for Start-Ups
• Development of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
• Tort Reform (Joint and Several Liability)

SCEDA LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

• Edward Kluiters, Legislative Committee Chair, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP
• Richard Blackwell, SCCED, Agracel, Inc.
• Marty Baltzegar, PE, LEED AP, Duke Energy
• Tushar Chikhliker, Nexsen Pruet
• Will Clarke, Elliott Davis
• Brent Jonas, Charleston Regional Development Alliance
• Philip Land, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA
• Kevin Landmesser, Greenville Area Development Corporation
• Sandy Steele, SCCED, Southern Carolina Regional Alliance
• Andrena Powell-Baker, SCCED, Lockhart Power Company/ Pacolet Milliken
• David Swenson, CEcD, York County Economic Development
• Stephen Taylor, SCCED, WCTEL
• Angela Lockman, Clemson University
• Mark Hendrick, SC Department of Commerce

SCEDA is represented at The Statehouse by John DeWorken and Sunny Harmon. Click here to learn more about Lobby SC.