North Charleston discusses bias-intimidation ordinance amid lack of S.C. hate crime law

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Although South Carolina is one of two states remaining without a hate crime law, Some cities and towns have been creating ordinances of their own to address the absence.

North Charleston City Council will be meeting Thursday at North Charleston City Hall to discuss a bias-based intimidation ordinance.

This comes after the City of Charleston and the Town of Mount Pleasant established hate crime or hate and intimidation ordinances.

The ordinance defines a hate crime as crimes against someone for their ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

READ MORE: "Hate & intimidation ordinances passed in Mount Pleasant Wednesday"

State legislators have been working for years to pass a hate crime law in the Palmetto State but it continuously fails in the Senate.

State Senator Deon Tedder says he is championing this issue on the local level and applauds municipalities passing these ordinances.

"You see a lot of the municipalities, local cities now taking the charge. They're taking the lead on this because they see firsthand the seriousness of the hate crimes that are taking place," Tedder said. "It's happened not only in Charleston County, but Horry County and it's happening everywhere. So to see these municipalities who have both Democrats and Republicans that serve on city and county councils championing this issue, I think sends a big message to the General Assembly that everybody else is acting. So what are we waiting on?

North Charleston's proposed ordinance would impose up to a $500 fine and/or 30 days in jail for an offense.

READ MORE: "'It feels frustrating': Summerville community waits on Hate Intimidation vote"

The bias-based intimidation ordinance passed in the city's Public Safety Committee last week.

Thursday evening, it will be read by the full city council for the first time.