Look around. When disaster strikes -- winter storms, hurricanes or everyday hardships -- neighbors help neighbors, businesses support communities and families lift each other up. Fair-mindedness and goodwill define who we are.
But our state civil justice system does not always reflect that fairness.
For example, if a small business owner faces a lawsuit in which he or she is only 1% responsible, the business could be forced to pay 100% of the damages under current law. In such an instance, the fairness we know in South Carolina is lost, and businesses are not going to locate here, grow and create jobs.
Manufacturers, small business owners and entrepreneurs across the state are increasingly concerned about a legal system that can impose crushing financial burdens on those who bear only a fraction of the blame. These concerns are real. They matter because an unfair civil justice system doesn't just harm businesses, it affects all of us.
How?
Businesses exposed to excessive liability face higher costs that make it more expensive to hire workers, harder to retain employees and more difficult to invest in expansion. Simply put, an imbalanced system that tilts the scales in favor of plaintiffs' attorneys chasing big paydays undermines our economic strength.
For these reasons, and others, it is time to pass a legal reform bill focused on fairness and goodness in the civil justice system -- reform that protects business owners, employees and families alike, ensuring they are not subject to unfair penalties, while also ensuring there is legal recourse when accidents occur.
Those who oppose reform threaten the momentum that has made South Carolina an economic development powerhouse. Their voices are loud, but they do not represent the best interests of our communities. They look out for their own financial best interests.
Fortunately, South Carolina policymakers recognize the need for change. This legislative session, senators have introduced S.244, the Justice Act of 2025 -- - a bill designed to bring fairness and accountability back to our courts. This legislation ensures that those who are minimally responsible in a lawsuit are not forced to shoulder the entire burden of financial penalties. It promotes fairness, reduces the cost of doing business and makes South Carolina more competitive.
The bill aligns our laws with neighboring states that have already enacted or are pursuing similar reforms. Just recently, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp unveiled a sweeping reform package that he says will position his state to better compete for jobs. We must do the same if we want to remain competitive.
The road ahead won't be easy. Opponents of civil justice fairness will fight to keep the status quo. But we are encouraged by the broad support for change.
Now is the time to work together and pass meaningful reform. South Carolina should be a place where businesses and families can thrive without fear of being unfairly targeted by an imbalanced legal system.
Whether it's an Upstate automotive supplier, a long-running family-owned restaurant in the Lowcountry, a Midlands small business or a place to vacation along the coast, you don't have to look far to see the impact business owners who are willing to take risks in South Carolina can have. They make long-term commitments to our state, but an unfair legal system threatens the environment that allows them to grow and even survive.
Together, we can secure a future where the Palmetto State leads -- not just in the products we make, but in the opportunities we create. If you believe in fairness and goodness, as most South Carolinians do, contact your state senator and House member and urge them to support S.244, the Justice Act of 2025.
Sara Hazzard is President and CEO of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance.