A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS by ENACTing THE "south carolina PRAY SAFE ACT" BY ADDING SECTION 23-3-90 SO AS TO establish the SOUTH CAROLINA PRAY SAFE GRANT PROGRAM WITHIN THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION TO PROVIDE GRANTS for SECURITY enhancements TO certain organizations that are at risk of being victimS of a religiously motivated crime.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "South Carolina Pray Safe Act."

 

SECTION 2.  Article 1, Chapter 3, Title 23 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 23-3-90. (A) As used in this section:

       (1) "Eligible applicant" means a private organization that is:

           (a) qualified for federal tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and

           (b) at particular risk of being subject to a religiously motivated crime.

       (2) "Eligible facility" means real property owned or operated by an eligible applicant.

       (3) "Offense against an organization" includes an offense against an employee or agent of the organization.

       (4) "Religiously motivated crime" means the commission, attempted commission, or alleged commission of an offense against an organization based on the religious ideology or mission of the organization or the population served by the organization.

       (5) "Security enhancements" includes, without limitation:

           (a) security assessments and training;

           (b) security personnel;

           (c) upgrades or improvements including, but not limited to, windows, doors, gates, or security-related landscaping; and

           (d) high-intensity lighting, camera systems, alarms, or other security systems.

    (B)(1) There is established the South Carolina Pray Safe Grant Program within the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to provide grants to eligible applicants for security enhancements to eligible facilities. Grants may be awarded to eligible applicants in amounts not to exceed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars.

       (2) SLED may develop the form and manner in which eligible applicants may apply for grants. SLED shall rank applications based on the criteria set forth in subsection (C) and award grants based on rankings and available monies.

    (C) SLED shall, by rule, establish criteria for ranking grant applications under the grant program. Criteria must include, but need not be limited to:

       (1) an eligible applicant's and eligible facility's level of risk of being subject to a religiously motivated crime or domestic terrorism;

       (2) whether an eligible applicant or eligible facility has previously been subject to a religiously motivated crime or domestic terrorism; and

       (3) the level of security measures already in place at eligible facilities.

    (D) SLED shall adopt rules to implement the grant program. Rules must include, but need not be limited to:

       (1) policies and procedures for the grant application process;

       (2) terms and conditions of grant agreements entered into by the department and grant recipients; and

       (3) procedures for verifying that grant monies have been used for the purposes for which they were awarded.

    (E) There is established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the general fund, the South Carolina Pray Safe Grant Program Fund. The monies in the fund only may be used to fund grants authorized by this section.  SLED may not award grants that exceed the balance in the Fund.

 

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

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