Scott Cooke

The agenda for the meeting included a Statement of Compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), discussion items covering divisional reports and the Administrator's report, and a section dedicated to New Business and Announcements.

The meeting commenced with a call to order. The Commission confirmed compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requirements, noting that public notice was properly posted on the Department's office and website, and provided to various media outlets. The Commission unanimously voted to enter and exit Executive Session for the purpose of receiving legal advice concerning Civil Action 2022-CP-40-05552. No votes or further actions were taken following the Executive Session. The next regularly scheduled meeting was announced.

This commemorative report celebrates fifty years of the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs' service, detailing its evolution from 1975 to 2025. It outlines the agency's mission to promote a fair marketplace through advocacy, complaint mediation, enforcement, and education, and its vision for empowering educated consumers and businesses. The report highlights historical milestones, the development of key divisions including Advocacy, Legal, Education, Identity Theft, and Technology, and reaffirms its commitment to adapting to future challenges.

The agenda for the upcoming meeting includes standard procedural items such as the Call to Order, a statement regarding the Freedom of Information Act compliance, and the Approval of Minutes from prior meetings. Key discussion topics are structured around Commission Policy and Progress Reports covering Administrative Services, Advocacy, Consumer Services & ID Theft Unit (IDTU), Enforcement/Legal, and Public Information and Education. The meeting will conclude with Announcements, including the date of the next meeting.

The meeting covered several key policy issues, including a report on the FY27 Budget Request, adjustments for increased software costs in FY26, and an update on the purchase request for five new vehicles, including surplus process considerations. Discussions on legislation included the Cryptocurrency ATM bill draft and a bill expanding the vulnerable adult exploitation law regarding mail theft. Progress updates were provided on the eight recommendations from the House Legislative Oversight Committee (HLOC), with five completed and three in progress, as well as an update on the HLOC mortgage log efficacy review. Consumer Services reported 543 complaints received in November (a 35.4% increase from November 2024), with vehicles, real estate, and miscellaneous complaints being the top categories. The Identity Theft Unit reported on 39 complaints and a 12% decrease in reported scam losses from October 2025. Administrative Services noted that November revenue exceeded $487,000, which was $16K over the previous year, largely due to preneed licensing renewals. Advocacy reported on rulemaking regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposed rule on the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and updates on ratemaking, including achieving 21% savings on Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) securitization and $17M in savings for residential customers in the DEC rate case. Licensing and Enforcement provided updates on pending litigation involving the South Carolina Automobile and Truck Dealers Association (SCATDA) case and reported on licensing renewals and investigator activities. Public Information detailed press releases and media mentions on topics like data breaches and energy rates, and reported on high website traffic for security breach notices and complaints.