Public policy groups taking more notice of Charleston

Two new public-policy oriented law groups have set up shop in Charleston in the past year, signaling what will likely be a growing amount of attention on regional environmental and civil liberties issues.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) opened an office in July, and the Southern Environmental Law Center opened an office last year.

The Charleston Regional Business Journal dug into what it could mean for Charleston:
The [ACLU] already has taken action on one voting rights issue; it filed a lawsuit in August that challenges South Carolina’s election laws regarding third-party candidates.

The ACLU has challenged immigration laws in other states, and Boyd said the group is monitoring immigration reform in South Carolina. The group will watch for aggressive police action and employment discrimination against immigrants or people who are perceived to be immigrants.

...

[Chris DeScherer, an attorney for The Southern Environmental Law Center said] Locating in Charleston made sense, he said, because the majority of the group’s work in South Carolina involves coastal issues and none of its other state offices is on the coast.

Charleston is home to several regulatory agencies and some of the Southern Environmental Law Center’s clients.

Ah, the smell of change on the wind.

Head over to the Charleston Regional Business Journal for the story.

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