South Carolina and Arkansas Governors Call Special Legislative Sessions

In May 2026, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster called a special legislative session to address redrawing the state's congressional map. Republicans sought to shift the state's sole Democratic-leaning district to favor the GOP, a move reportedly prompted by an April Supreme Court ruling. The special session began after the state Senate blocked a procedural attempt to advance redistricting legislation during the regular session. Separately, in Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders called a special session to cut income taxes, coming one day after lawmakers finished work on the state budget. The proposal would lower the top individual income tax rate from 3.9% to 3.7% and reduce the corporate tax rate to 4.1%, with changes retroactive to January 1. Arkansas lawmakers had given final approval to a $6.7 billion budget, which Sanders signed, before adjourning the regular session and setting up the special session on taxes. In South Carolina, the special session on redistricting had just begun as of mid-May 2026, with no reported final map or vote outcome yet available. In Arkansas, the special session on tax cuts was called immediately following budget passage, though the reports do not confirm whether the tax cut legislation was ultimately passed or signed into law. Both events remain in progress based on available reporting, with further legislative action pending in each state.