AARP South Carolina Advocacy Focus

AARP South Carolina works hard to show up where it matters as a fierce defender of the 50+ fighting for the issues you care about right here in South Carolina. We wanted to take a moment to share some of the advocacy work we will be doing in 2022 with you.

Keep up to date on our federal advocacy here and learn about our 2022 priorities below.
2022 Legislative Priorities Brochure 1-24-21.pdf

AARP South Carolina continues to advocate for a voluntary way for South Carolinians to save at work.

Palmetto State residents have among the least 401k retirement savings in the nation. That means that large sectors of our workforce are not adequately prepared to retire. With average Social Security checks in South Carolina running around $1,300 per month, relying on Social Security alone for retirement will not be a sustainable solution. Yet hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians, at every earning level, do not have access to a workplace savings program. Retirement should be enjoyed not dreaded. That’s why we’re advocating for this commonsense approach to help people save. Learn more here.


“The time is always right to do what’s right.” And the time is now.

Did you know that South Carolina is one of only three states to not have a hate crimes law? As we draw closer to MLK Day it’s worth remembering that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” We believe now is the time to pass meaningful legislation to guard against crimes motivated by hate. It’s time to send a signal to the rest of the country that South Carolinians treasure the diversity of our people and believe our state benefits and thrives because of it.

Thousands of working South Carolinians are one economic downturn away from the loss of health care coverage. That needs to be addressed.

Investing in providing access to health care coverage to those earning under $18,000 annually is a major long-term priority for AARP South Carolina. It is the right thing to do and has overwhelming support across the ideological spectrum. According to a recent AARP survey of registered voters 50+ in South Carolina, eight in 10 support a system for providing access to health care coverage in the Palmetto State including 69% of Republicans. Learn more about the survey here. A safety net that ensures access to health care coverage for all can lead to improved health outcomes for South Carolinians which is good for the economy. Learn more about the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health’s report on health outcomes associated with access to health care coverage here.

AARP South Carolina is advocating for South Carolina to continue building twenty-first-century infrastructure.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it apparent that those without access to high-speed internet are at a tremendous disadvantage. In fact, they are being left behind and in the case of many older adults being left isolated. Expanding high-speed internet helps to support and open our rural economies and is akin to developing basic infrastructure like highway systems. Setting aside more funds for expanding high-speed internet especially in rural areas is something Republicans, Democrats, and Independents can all agree on. AARP South Carolina will continue to advocate for the

We all need a little help sometimes. But lending should be fair. That's why AARP South Carolina supports a Fair Lending Act.

AARP SC is part of the SC Fair Lending Alliance steering committee, working to introduce a state bill to cap interest rates at 36% for consumer finance loans (payday loans, car title loans, etc.)  Presently, the only regulatory stipulation for high-cost lenders in South Carolina is that they must file their interest rate with the state. The highest rate on record is currently 800%. This push will:

1. Bring rates in line with the federal Military Lending Act
   
2. Offer greater protection to older adults living on fixed incomes who may resort to high-cost loans
   
3. Provide increased protections for communities of color that are disproportionately targeted by high-cost lenders and the resulting debt cycle

Some of our other advocacy focuses in 2022 are:

• We will advocate for the development of a state Parkinson’s Registry.
  
• We support a Nurse Practitioner Loan Forgiveness bill to increase the number of health care providers in South Carolina.
  
• We also support a Nurse Anesthetist bill to give practitioners more autonomy and help to lower health care costs and increase the number of providers.
  
• AARP has long sought to lower RX drug prices and we will advocate for an Affordable drug bill here in South Carolina.
  
• Home and community-based services (HBCS) are an important part of South Carolina’s health care system, especially for older residents. We will push for a Personal Care rate increase.