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Beaufort County to pursue hate-intimidation options: staff to draft ordinance and resolution to state
Summary
After hearing from a coalition against hate and reviewing local ordinances elsewhere in South Carolina, council directed staff to prepare both a county ordinance and a resolution urging the state to pass a hate-intimidation statute, while noting legal concerns raised by the Attorney General's opinion.
Beaufort County Council on March 9 followed up a public plea for a countywide hate-intimidation law by directing staff to draft both a local ordinance and a resolution urging the South Carolina legislature to adopt a statewide statute.
Rhysa Prince, president of the Low Country Coalition Against Hate, told council that South Carolina is one of only two states without a hate-crime law and asked the county to fill the gap. "Until the state acts, you county council are the only ones that can close that gap," Prince said, asking for a countywide ordinance and an enhanced-penalty measure for violent crimes proven to be motivated by bias.
County attorney Mr. Harbert told council staff had reviewed municipal and county approaches across the state and found two counties (Richland and Orangeburg) have adopted similarly worded county ordinances; many municipalities have local ordinances as well. He cautioned that the Office of the Attorney General has questioned the legality of local ordinances that purport to enhance state crimes and recommended a dual approach: a resolution urging the legislature to act and, if council still wishes, drafting a local ordinance while acknowledging potential legal challenges.
Council members agreed to direct staff to prepare both a draft ordinance (using model language from municipalities and counties) and a resolution to again ask the legislature to enact statewide hate-intimidation law. Staff were also asked to send an immediate resolution/letter to the county's state delegation to register county support.
What happens next: County staff will prepare the draft ordinance and a resolution for review in committee; the council also directed an immediate transmittal of a resolution or letter to the state legislature to restate the county's support for a statewide statute.
