COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina House Democrats held a press conference on Tuesday, calling on Senate members to pass a hate crime bill in this year's legislative session.
Representative Wendell Gilliard of Charleston County has been advocating for this type of bill for years.
“Call your senators, and get them engaged, involved. Because from the last press conference till now, there are hate crimes being committed," Gilliard said.
Advocates say a hate crimes bill is not a democratic or republican issue.
“This bill is about 'we the people,'" Gillard said.
H.3620 would toughen penalties on those who commit crimes against a victim because of their race, color, sex, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability.
The bill would also require a suspect to face a fine up to $10,000 and could be sentenced to five more years in prison.
Representative Beth Bernstein of Richland County said passing this bill would send a message to South Carolinians.
“Hate crime laws are a way for society to recognize that these crimes strike special fear within the victimized group, can fragment communities, and tear the very fabric of our democratic way of life.”
H. 3620 is named the 'Clementa Pinckney Hate Crimes Act' in honor of the late state senator and pastor who died when a confessed white supremacist entered a Charleston church in 2015 and killed nine black members of the congregation.
Last year, the bill passed the with bipartisan support in the house and is currently sitting in a Senate committee.
Opponents of the bill include Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, who said the current punishments for hate crimes are sufficient.
“I think one, our laws are adequate in addressing criminal behavior in this manner," said Massey. "If you look at what's happened we've had a lot of prosecutions related to hate crimes issues and our laws have stood up.”
Without bipartisan support, the bill is unlikely to pass.
The 2022 legislative session is gearing up to be a busy one and H.3620 may not be a priority for the senators at all.
If it doesn't make it through this years session, it will have to be refiled next year.
If the bill is passed, it would then go through a conference committee to work out the differences between the house and senate versions.