June 2025: Advocacy Updates

Local Level

• We're proud to welcome the Town of Mount Pleasant and their Mount Pleasant Made Initiative as a Local Economic Ambassador Member of our organization, reinforcing the Town’s commitment to supporting and elevating local, independent businesses. Read more! 
  
  
• Eat Local! We’ll be looking for the results of this recent study of local v non-local shrimp sourcing by Charleston area restaurants. See: “Many Charleston restaurants say they serve local shrimp. Researchers want to know if that's true.” - via Post and Courier 

• The City of Charleston is evaluating the impacts of tourism on quality of life for residents - and we hope, the impacts on our small, local businesses. We attended the kickoff forum for the partnered study between Historic Charleston Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies on May 20. Read our recap here. Also see: “A decade after Charleston's last tourism plan, here's how a Bloomberg study will direct an update” - via Post and Courier  
  
  
• Local Election Results: Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley and Chris Emde won North Charleston council seats in a special election held in late May - via Charleston City Paper 
  
  
• Public Transit progress: The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) recently shared that the Lowcountry Rapid Transit (LCRT) project has reached 90% design completion and is still on track and under budget.
  
  
• We're watching: “North Charleston site ID'd as a future Amazon distribution center” – via Post and Courier  // See our response.

• Public Space & Mobility progress: The Lowcountry Lowline team has announced that the schematic design has been completed, and the City of Charleston hopes to break ground on Phase I in September 2025. 
  

State Level

• The highly debated liquor liability reform bill (H. 3430) was recently signed into law by Gov. McMaster, offering hope for reduced insurance premiums to restaurants and bars across the state. The law will take effect beginning January 1, 2026 and will only apply to insurance policies issued on or after that date. It leaves plenty of room for improvement in future legislative terms, but it does eliminate the “1% rule” that previously allowed bars and restaurants to be held 100% financially responsible for damages despite minimal fault. It also mandates alcohol server training and provides incentives for risk-reducing practices. Want an introduction to a locally-owned insurance company to get your questions answered? Reach out!
  
  
• The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and lasts through November 30. Review these tips from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD). The S.C. Emergency Business Resources dashboard is a one-stop-shop for updated information during disasters including power outages, road and bridge closures, shelter locations and executive orders. The S.C. Business Reentry Program assists in the restoration of utility and other services by offering a post-disaster reentry certification for businesses and organizations. The program is available to any registered business in good standing with the S.C. Secretary of State’s Office (local governments make the final decision regarding reentry). Registration is free. Check our hurricane preparedness page for more local resources.
  
  
• SC Senators Tedder and Sutton are hosting a town hall on June 17 at 6 p.m. at Redux Contemporary Art Center for upper peninsula residents/business owners. This gathering is hosted by Hampton Park Terrace, North Central & Wagener Terrace Neighborhood Associations.
  
  

Federal Level

• The Small Business Liberation Act was introduced May 5 and then soon after blocked, which would have offered hope of relief for small businesses from the economic impact of the proposed tariffs. Read more via retaildive.com and sbc.senate.gov.  

• Restaurant Reservation Bots: Rep Mace recently introduced a new bill to protect restaurants from reservation scams – via ABC News 4  (Note: We vetted this bill by various local restaurant owners who confirmed this form of scamming is not yet a major issue in our market but is in larger ones.)

• The Credit Card Competition Act was filed on May 20 as the “Marshall-Durbin Amendment” as part of the broader GENIUS Act, which is legislation aimed at regulating crypto stablecoins [MORE]. The GENIUS Act could receive a vote soon. The Merchants Payments Coalition, National Grocers Association and American Booksellers Association are all backing the GENIUS Act as the best chance to advance swipe fee reform, despite concerns around fraud and speculation in the cryptocurrency markets.  

• Reign in Corporate Power: Lowcountry Local First recently responded alongside other small business advocates across the nation to the Federal Trade Commission's request for public comment on "anti-competitive regulatory barriers." Our primary suggestion: more enforcement on the unchecked dominance of powerful corporations. In the letter, we expressed our support for enforcement actions including: tougher scrutiny of mergers; greater oversight of corporate middlemen; and taking on price discrimination. View the full letter here.
  
  

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Questions? Input? E-mail Jordan@lowcountrylocalfirst.org