Henry McMaster

South Carolina officials who have been sued over a law banning school districts from issuing face mask mandates say that they should be removed from pending litigation. That’s the argument made in recent court filings from Gov. Henry McMaster, Attorney General Alan Wilson and others being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union.

A growing number of school districts in South Carolina are defying a provision from state lawmakers banning mandatory face coverings for students. But not all. Many districts are afraid the General Assembly will withhold state budget money if they do so.

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit over a South Carolina law that bans school districts from imposing mask mandates.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is updating the state on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor repeated Monday there's no need to require masks in schools as they reopen this month. But McMaster also says the delta variant of the virus does pose a real threat and continued to urge people to get vaccinated.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster says that he sees a city-enforced school mask mandate as a violation of state law. South Carolina’s capital city on Thursday ratified an ordinance mandating the use of masks in Columbia elementary and middle schools for at least the beginning of the school year. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin says the move will help protect children who are too young to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

South Carolina education officials say they can't follow updated federal guidelines recommending indoor mask use at schools nationwide, even for vaccinated students.

Gov. Henry McMaster has ended South Carolina’s ongoing pandemic-related state of emergency. The Republican said during a news conference Monday that the coronavirus situation in the state had improved to the point that it was no longer necessary.

Gov. Henry McMaster has signed into law a bill clarifying that beach towns can’t eliminate free parking along state roads without permission from South Carolina officials.

South Carolina’s governor is pushing state House members to approve a bill preventing lawsuits against businesses and other groups by people who contract COVID-19 as long as federal and state health guidelines were being followed.

Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order directing the South Carolina Department of Social Services to prevent federal agencies from placing undocumented, unaccompanied migrant children from the southern border in foster care and group homes in his state.