COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Supporters who want to make South Carolina the next-to-last U.S. state to pass a hate crimes law increasing penalties for some crimes fueled by race, gender or sexual orientation are running out of time. The hate crimes bill has sat undebated on the state Senate calendar for nearly a year and will die in May without a vote. A similar bill sat on the Senate’s calendar for a year in 2022 before it died. The bill passed the often more conservative House both times. Supporters say they have enough Republicans to pass the bill. Opponents are mostly quiet about why they are against it, but they worry it could be used against religious leaders or to stifle free speech.
