Through an all-inclusive process involving hundreds of municipal officials, the Municipal Association of SC identified major challenges facing cities and towns in the state. The 2024 – 2025 Advocacy Initiatives represent solutions to challenges that can be addressed through changes to state law.

The Municipal Association's 2024 – 2025 advocacy initiatives include these items:

• Protect the authority of cities and towns to regulate short-term rentals within municipal boundaries. 
  Local leaders, working with residents, neighborhoods and businesses, know best how to regulate and manage the challenges presented by short-term rentals. A one-size fits-all statewide approach to managing short-term rentals in diverse South Carolina cities and towns is not the solution. 
• Support statewide hate crimes legislation.
  Because South Carolina is one of only two states that have not enacted statewide hate crimes legislation, companies are choosing not to locate in the state or host events at municipal venues, causing cities and towns to lose valuable economic development opportunities. 
• Allow cities and towns to close doughnut holes, or enclaves, in their municipal limits through a local annexation process. 
  This would give cities and towns another tool in the toolbox to increase efficiency in service delivery and public safety.
• Allow cities and towns with no property tax millage to impose a millage with certain limitations. 
  This legislation would clarify that cities and towns without an operating millage may impose a millage within certain limitations.
• Support additional funding in the state budget and other resources for mental health services. 
  Officials in cities and towns know first-hand how the lack of mental health services can impact a community. Additional mental health funding and resources would give cities and towns more opportunities to offer services to help residents.