Let’s start with some good news: Last week in the South Carolina Statehouse, one good bill advanced and one bad bill stalled.
The good bill, S. 385, would protect the wellness of pregnant women who are entering the prison system by making them eligible for release on bail for the duration of the pregnancy and 12 weeks after the birth of a child. On March 5, after hearing from a diverse group of supporters including anti-abortion activists, the ACLU of South Carolina, and the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network, the Senate Corrections and Penology Committee voted to give S. 385 a favorable report. It can now advance to the full Senate.
The bad bill, H. 3866, seeks to exclude the children of undocumented parents from public schools by requiring parents to show state-issued photo identification when enrolling their kids in school. The bill, which would have affected a wide range of families lacking photo ID, did not advance out of the House K-12 Subcommittee.
We got bad news elsewhere. A bill redefining child abuse to allow harmful treatment of trans children (S. 540) advanced through a subcommittee despite overwhelming testimony in opposition, including from our executive director. And a bill that would criminalize standing within 25 feet of police officers and causing them “emotional distress” (H. 4763) passed the House with a 95-18 vote.
Here’s what to watch out for in the coming week.
Restricting your rights via the budget
It’s Budget Week in the South Carolina House of Representatives.
While House committees won’t meet this week to discuss new bills affecting our civil liberties, some lawmakers will still try to legislate their version of morality via the state budget, skipping public debate and the usual law-making process. Every year during budget season, they accomplish this via one-year rules in the state budget known as “provisos.”
Last year, for example, lawmakers used a budget proviso to threaten the funding of the one city that had banned a harmful anti-LGBTQ practice known as “conversion therapy.” They also threatened the funding of any public libraries that failed to certify that they had no books or materials appealing to the “prurient interest” of children.
Budget deliberations will happen on the House floor Tuesday through Thursday. There is no opportunity to give public comment during this process, but as always, let your representative know if you see cause for concern.
Anti-trans bathroom bill advancing in the Senate
On Wednesday, March 11, at 10 a.m. in Gressette Building Room 105, the Senate Education Committee will consider a bill that would discriminate against transgender people by forcing them to use restrooms and changing facilities that do not match their gender.
The bill, H. 4756, would apply to all public K-12 schools as well as colleges and universities. If passed, this bill would cause trans and nonbinary students to face further discrimination, bullying, and harassment. People who do not fit gender stereotypes would also face the threat of being misgendered and harassed in bathrooms.
This bill has already passed the House and a Senate subcommittee. This is the last stop before the Senate floor. There will be no opportunity for public comment at the full committee meeting, but you can use our form at the link above to contact your state senator. Remind them that creating an army of self-appointed bathroom police will not help anyone’s safety or privacy.
Let teachers teach: Stop H. 4757
A bill that would censor teachers and lead to forced outing of LGBTQ+ students has passed the South Carolina House of Representatives and could be taken up in a Senate Education subcommittee any day now. We need your help warning lawmakers about the harm this bill would cause.
House Bill 4757 would let any parent demand to see a teacher’s lesson plans and exempt their child from lessons, potentially influencing how lessons are taught to all students based on their own personal beliefs regarding sex, morality, or religion. It would forbid classroom discussions of "gender roles or stereotypes, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation” unless a teacher gives parents five days' advance notice and receives permission from the parents.
This bill would also force school counselors and mental health workers to disclose private information about a student's sexual orientation to their parents before the student is ready. In cases of non-supportive families, LGBTQ+ students may be put in danger due to this bill.
Democrats in the House managed to remove some other harmful provisions of H. 4757 before voting to pass it, but it remains a dangerous bill. Its sponsors call it the “Parental Rights Act,” but its function is to harm the education of South Carolina students. You can use the following form to write to your state senator in opposition to the bill:
