South Carolina General Assembly
123rd Session, 2019-2020

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 934

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators McLeod and Malloy
Document Path: l:\s-jud\bills\mcleod\jud0055.rem.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 14, 2020
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Judiciary

Summary: Hate Crime Prevention Act

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  12/11/2019  Senate  Prefiled
  12/11/2019  Senate  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   1/14/2020  Senate  Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 46)
   1/14/2020  Senate  Referred to Committee on Judiciary 
                        (Senate Journal-page 46)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/11/2019

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

A BILL TO AMEND ARTICLE 7, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 16 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ASSAULTS, TO ENACT THE "HATE CRIME PREVENTION ACT OF 2020" BY ADDING SECTION 16-3-605 TO PROVIDE THAT IS UNLAWFUL TO WILLFULLY CAUSE BODILY INJURY OR DEATH TO A PERSON OR ATTEMPT OR THREATEN TO CAUSE BODILY INJURY OR DEATH THROUGH THE USE OF A FIRE, A FIREARM, A DANGEROUS WEAPON, OR A DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE, BECAUSE OF THE ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN OF ANY PERSON AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES AND DEFINITIONS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    This act may be cited as the "Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2020".

SECTION    2.    Article 7, Chapter 3, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 16-3-605.    (A)    For purposes of this section:

        (1)    'destructive device' means a device as defined under Section 16-23-710(7), and

        (2)    'firearm' means a weapon which is designed to or readily may be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive, or the frame or receiver of that weapon.

    (B)    It is unlawful for a person to willfully cause bodily injury to any person or, through the use of a fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or a destructive device, attempt or threaten to cause bodily harm or injury to any person because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin of any person.

    (C)    A person who violates a provision of subsection (B) is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or be imprisoned for not more than ten years, or both.

    (D)    A person who violates a provision of subsection (B) is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be imprisoned for up to life if death results or the offense includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, an act of criminal sexual conduct or an attempt to commit criminal sexual conduct, or attempted murder.

    (E)    A sentence imposed pursuant to the provisions of this section is in addition to any other sentence imposed for another offense and any sentence imposed pursuant to the provisions of this section must be served consecutively."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 27, 2020 at 11:45 AM