IRI

Initiative & Referendum Institute

at the University of Southern California 


 

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Constitutional and Statutory Provisions

 


South Carolina

South Carolina does not permit statewide initiatives or referendums. The state's Code of Laws does grant citizens of all municipalities the right to initiate and approve ordinances. The provision for local initiatives was adopted in 1910 during the Progressive movement.

In 1999, the state supreme court ruled (Joytime Distributors v. State of South Carolina) that the state legislature did not have the authority to place statutes on the ballot for approval by the people.

 

© 2008 Initiative & Referendum Institute

USC School of Law

Los Angeles CA 90089-0071