We are excited to bring you our Advocacy Summer School series, where we will delve into how policy is made in South Carolina.
Over the next few weeks, we will explore many topics in depth. Today, we will be looking at an overview of the branches of government in South Carolina.
Just like the federal government, the South Carolina state government is made up of three branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch.
Legislative Branch
Since our first constitution in 1776, South Carolina has had a bicameral legislature, though it looked a lot different than it does today.
Today, the General Assembly consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are 124 House members and 46 Senators in South Carolina. They have no term limits. House members are elected every two years while Senators are elected every four.
We will delve more into these bodies and their work in later emails.
Executive Branch
Beginning in 1865, governors have been elected in South Carolina. The South Carolina governor is elected every four years and can serve two terms consecutively, but there is no limit on how many terms they may serve in their lifetime.
At the end of this term, our current governor, Gov. Henry McMaster, will be the longest-serving elected governor. This is because he served as governor for two years when former Gov. Nikki Haley left the office to become the Ambassador to the United Nations and then for two of his own terms.
Look out for more information on the governor’s office and its role in the legislative process later in our series.
Judicial Branch
Finally, we have the Judicial Branch. It is made up of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Courts, Family Courts, Magisterial Courts, Municipal Courts, Probate Courts and Master-in-Equity Courts.
We will not be delving into the Judicial Branch in this series, but you can visit the South Carolina Judicial Branch website to learn more.
Pop Quiz
The answers will be included in next week’s post.
Question #1:
In what city was the first South Carolina State House located?
A. Charleston
B. Columbia
C. Aiken
Question #2:
What year was the South Carolina constitution amended to allow governors to run for two consecutive terms?
A. 1895
B. 1980
C. 1776
Question #3:
How many counties does South Carolina have?
A. 124
B. 23
C. 46
Extra Credit
South Carolina History and Culture: Learn more about South Carolina culture and history from the South Carolina State Library.
I’m Just a Bill: Since 1976, this video has been the best way to learn how a bill becomes a law.
