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by WILL FOLKS
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While it’s not officially South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson‘s responsibility to call for an emergency session of the S.C. General Assembly to suspend the state gas tax (at least not yet) – the GOP gubernatorial nominee has been an important voice in this conversation for some time.
The Palmetto State’s top prosecutor has urged lawmakers to lift this levy since March, a call numerous GOP candidates have subsequently echoed.
For now, though, the obligation to summon legislators for an emergency session rests solely with the state’s current governor, Henry McMaster. And as of this publication, he has (unfortunately) signaled zero interest in doing so.
That’s inexcusable in our book. With prices skyrocketing, relief at the pump has morphed from a political talking point into an economic imperative. Sadly, McMaster – and the “Republican” establishment in the S.C. House and State Senate – refuse to lift a finger on behalf of taxpayers. Worse yet, House leaders Murrell Smith and Bruce Bannister have actively blocked efforts to suspend the gas tax… all while blowing nearly $400 million in political pork (and another $150 million on a bogus corporate welfare handout).
Talk about tone-deaf…
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While Wilson hasn’t waded into the emergency session debate, he has decided to put forward a policy proposal that could dramatically reshape this conversation as it advances.
According to a release from his campaign, the Republican standard-bearer in the 2026 election wants to give future governors the authority “to temporarily suspend the state gas tax for up to 120 days when rising fuel prices are putting an unsustainable burden on South Carolina families.”
Current state law requires legislative action to suspend the gas tax. Wilson’s proposal would “give the governor the ability to act quickly when South Carolinians need immediate relief at the pump” – citing such temporary emergency authority as “another tool to respond to sudden and significant increases in fuel costs.”
“South Carolina families don’t have the luxury of waiting on Columbia to go through a lengthy legislative process when they’re getting crushed at the pump,” Wilson’s deputy campaign manager Claire Brady said in a statement. “Alan Wilson believes the governor should have the ability to respond quickly and temporarily suspend the gas tax when extraordinary circumstances are driving fuel prices to unsustainable levels.”
Wilson has been at the forefront of the fight for fuel tax relief for several months now, consistently calling on lawmakers to take emergency action to combat soaring prices. According to his campaign, it’s part of a broader affordability agenda aimed at buttressing household budgets during increasingly dire economic times.
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RELATED | DEBILITATING SURGE IN GAS PRICES CONTINUES
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“Alan Wilson knows families don’t get to put their bills on hold while the government figures out how to respond,” Brady added in her statement. “Giving the governor this authority means South Carolina can move quickly when families and small businesses need relief most.”
According to Wilson’s campaign, any tax revenues lost during the suspension period would be replaced by reserve funds.
As we reported earlier today (September 14, 2026), gas prices have soared in the Palmetto State by 50.36% since December, while diesel prices have skyrocketed by 76.94% over the same time period. Those increases are severely hamstringing household budgets – while at the same time raising prices on goods and services via elevated shipping costs.
We noted in our report that McMaster should take “immediate action” and convene an emergency session of the S.C. General Assembly for the purpose of suspending the gas tax. We further challenged him to “use his bully pulpit” to support the suspension.
While it’s not immediately clear whether McMaster will do either of those things, Wilson’s proposal marks an important advance in the debate – and points to a willingness on the part of the man most likely to be the next governor to engage on behalf of taxpayers where the current chief executive has refused.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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