COLUMBIA, S.C. — A lowcountry Democratic House Lawmaker is renewing his push for South Carolina to enact a Hate Crime Law.
South Carolina and Wyoming are the only two states without a hate crime statute.
Gilliard told lawmakers that it brings “no pleasure” to discuss the issue every year. For Gilliard, the debate recalls memories of the attack on churchgoers he knew in the district where he was raised
The measure 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.
Gilliard named the legislation 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.
“Spray painting a happy face on a playground is vandalism,” Director of Community Relations for the Charleston Jewish Federation Brandon Fish said. “Spray painting a swastika on a synagogue is also vandalism, but the effect is different. It has the effect of scaring people — an entire community.”
“The citizens of South Carolina deserve to feel safe," said Lowcountry resident Suzanne Andrews.
The bill passed in 2021 with bipartisan support in the House, but was held up in the Senate.
Opponents of the bill include Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, who told News 19 in 2022 that the current federal 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.”
Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey had no comment Thursday on the likelihood that the upper chamber passes this year’s bill.
Recent FBI statistics show South Carolina had 110 hate crimes in 2020 — nearly double the 57 instances reported the previous year. Gilliard argues having a state law will allow a more accurate counting of hate crimes.
“Without a hate crime law, we can’t keep records,” Gilliard said. “We don’t know where the hot spots are.”