STATEMENT FROM THE GREENVILLE CHAMBER: 

The cost of liquor liability is putting tremendous pressure on the Upstate’s important tourism and hospitality sector. The skyrocketing costs of insurance – on top of the significant inflationary pressures already hurting small businesses – will have far-reaching effects on hundreds of small businesses if it is not corrected quickly.

Every small business in South Carolina is one lawsuit away from going out of business because we have a system where a business might be 1% at fault but could he held 100% financially liable. Legislation that will solve both issues was filed last session by Senate President Alexander (S. 533) and supported by nearly every Republican leader in the state Senate. The message from businesses across the Upstate is clear: The General Assembly must act quickly in 2024 to address the unfair legal liability burden and the higher costs to business that have followed years of inaction.

This issue has been a major agenda item for the Greenville Chamber and the Upstate Chamber Coalition for nearly a decade. Providing this relief to small business owners is at the top of our legislative agenda for 2024 and further delays in solving this issue will result in more business closures and an unnecessary drag on the Upstate’s economy.

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