MORNING HEADLINES | Charleston County Council on Tuesday night failed to pass an ordinance penalizing hate or bias-based intimidation, despite 20 S.C. cities and two counties having similar ordinances.
Voting against the proposal were Republicans Joe Boykin, Jenny Honeycutt, Larry Kobrovsky, Brantley Moody, Herb Sass and voted against the ordinance. Voting in favor were Democrats Henry Darby, Kylon Middleton, Teddie Pryor and Rob Wehrman.
South Carolina is one of only two U.S. states without a hate crimes law. One proposal called Clementia C. Pinckney Hate Crimes Act, which is named after the former state senator who was one of nine killed in 2015 in a mass shooting at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, has been introduced several times in the General Assembly, but never been passed.
The absence of statewide action led several Lowcountry communities, including Charleston, Georgetown, Isle of Palms, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston and Summerville, to enact hate crime or hate intimidation ordinances in recent years. Richland and Orangeburg counties enacted their own versions of a hate intimidation ordinance earlier this summer.
Kobrovosky said he worried the local county proposal could go against people’s First Amendment rights to speak freely.
“My fear is this will take us down the road of thought police and incentivizing political opponents to have another avenue to go at each other,” he said, according to The Post and Courier.
The proposed ordinance called for a separate offense for crimes committed against another person based on the “actual or perceived ethnicity, national origin, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, and gender or physical or mental disability” of the victim. The penalty would have resulted in a fine up to $500 or up to 30 days in jail.
In other headlines
CP NEWS: Despite concerns, MUSC overlay district moves forward with commission support. The project, which now goes to Charleston City Council but has not been widely discussed by the public, would allow for rapid growth and expansion in a zone around MUSC.
- Charleston plans new service offices to West Ashley.
- Potential zoning, map changes could allow for more development on Johns Island.
HOLIDAY: AAA shares safety tips for holiday travelers. Last Labor Day holiday weekend, AAA responded to more than 383,000 calls from stranded motorists, highlighting the importance of proactive vehicle maintenance and road safety practices.
Rising prices are affecting Charleston businesses, residents. From food, to lodging, to activities, to parking, prices in the Holy City are on the rise. Business owners said the landscape of Charleston tourism is changing from a family-friendly destination to a luxury getaway, increasing prices across the board for them, as well as residents and tourists.
New safe house open for abuse victims. A new safe house for domestic violence survivors opened its doors to women across the Lowcountry, including Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley and Georgetown counties, along with other nearby areas.
Mount Pleasant event hall to reopen. Historic Mount Pleasant building Alhambra Hall is set to open Wednesday following a yearlong closure for renovations.
Lowcountry beaches see minor erosion despite heavy rainfall, flooding. Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms saw minor erosion even though there was a significant amount of rainfall, according to officials.
College of Charleston launches program for student success. The College of Charleston is one of the first universities to launch the Life Design Coaching Program, designed to guide you down a successful path that tailors to you.
Berkeley Co. to invest $15K in community pet microchip scanner stations. Berkeley County will be spending $15,000 to place microchip scanner stations across the county, allowing community members to be part of the solution to lost pets while also keeping them out of shelters.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.