COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Supporters who want to make South Carolina the next-to-last U.S. state to pass a hate crimes law, increasing penalties for some crimes fueled by race, gender or sexual orientation, are running out of time to get what could be a decisive vote in the state Senate.
They brought survivors of a racist massacre that killed nine Black worshipers in a Charleston church in 2015 to speak to senators. They have had more than 100 businesses tell lawmakers that South Carolina needs to demonstrate hate will not be tolerated. They have tried any legislative maneuvers they can to get the bill up for debate.
But the hate crimes bill that passed the House 84-31 in March of last year has sat on the Senate’s calendar for nearly a year. If it isn’t approved by early May, it will die — just like a similar bill that made it that far in 2021 before the Senate did nothing with it.
When asked Wednesday about the chance for a vote, Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey simply said, “don’t hold your breath.”
Thirty of South Carolina’s 46 senators are Republicans and enough of them back the bill that supporters think it can succeed if brought to a vote. But a few conservative Republicans — the numbers fluctuate — keep blocking debate.
“It seems like if you want to get rid of it, the most efficient and fair way to get rid of it is to have a vote,” said Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, a Democrat from Walterboro who took her seat after the death of state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, the pastor killed in that 2015 racist massacre at Mother Emanuel AME church.
The opponents of the bill don’t say much about the measure. They have said that many crimes are caused by hatred, and that it is dangerous to try to divine someone’s thoughts.
They also are worried a hate crimes law could be used to go after a preacher who vociferously spoke out against gay marriage or LBTBQ issues, although supporters of…
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