Hate crime bill begins making way through Statehouse. Several business leaders testified in support of a bill that would make South Carolina the 48th state to pass a law for harsher penalties for crimes based on hate. A House subcommittee on Tuesday held a hearing on the “proposal to allow harsher penalties for killings, assaults, stalking, vandalism and other crimes motivated by hatred for someone’s race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or disability.” Source: Associated Press
Hospitality saw job gains in February, bodes well for tourism. While South Carolina-specific data will not be out until later this month, tourism industry experts said the U.S. Department of Labor report, released Friday, bodes well for the Palmetto State. Source: The Myrtle Beach Sun
Charleston receives nearly $10M of $45M grant fund for flood prevention, recovery. Charleston and Horry counties are among eight local governments sharing $45 million in federal grants to improve drainage and buy out homes repeatedly destroyed by flooding disasters. Source: WCBD TV
S.C. working on housing aid as CDC eviction moratorium nears expiration. Renters protected from eviction during the coronavirus pandemic will lose their eviction protections at the end of the month if the federal government doesn’t make a move to extend them. Source: Greenwood Index-Journal
Charleston City Council to raise fees on developers who skip out on affordable housing. Some new apartment complexes on the Charleston peninsula will face higher fees if the developers of those properties refuse to incorporate affordable housing into their plans. Source: The Post and Courier
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