News & Commentary

Civil liberties on the docket in Columbia- what to know and what you can do about it for the week of May 22nd

We are back again this week, and that's because lawmakers are, too. Why, you ask? The short answer is that they are back because they want to take away our bodily autonomy. The long answer has to do with a little something called sine die. 

At long last, we have arrived at what will (possibly) be the last week of the legislative session. Sadly, both chambers of the General Assembly are using the last three days of the session to fast track bills that attack our civil liberties. We have to buckle up for a week of continuous advocacy because our freedoms are on the docket at the State House.

We've almost arrived at the end of the legislative session! Luckily, the Senate is hard at work on fixing problems and addressing issues that will make South Carolina a better place to live. Just kidding!

Lawmakers are in a sprint to the finish of the first half of their two-year session. This means that for each of the items considered at the State House, there is an increasing urgency for both lawmakers and for us. We have a few things to do this week, and letting lawmakers hear from us is absolutely critical. 

The housing crisis is both the cause and effect of systemic civil rights deprivations.

We are in the home stretch of this legislative session, so it's a great time to take a look around at what has (and hasn't) happened so far at the State House. While this list can feel like a whole lot, it's important to note that almost everything on it is not a done deal. We can, and should, keep demanding good government from our lawmakers right until the very last second of this legislative session. 

Before we get into what's happening (and what should be happening) this week at the State House, we want to acknowledge what happened last week. Last week, two Senate committees held hearings at the same time for some Freedom Caucus favorites: classroom censorship and banning gender affirming care for minors. This was a deliberate attempt to literally divide us and dilute the physical presence of civil liberties advocates. Because of you, it didn't work. We asked you to pack both rooms, and you did. Thank you for continuing to take the time to speak up. 

This week, two Senate subcommittees will consider bills that impact the LGBTQ community, and they'll consider these bills at the same time. That's not a coincidence. The Senate is hoping that by making citizens choose between resisting Freedom Caucus-supported measures, one that prevents kids from accessing gender affirming care and another that prevents kids from discussing gender, sexual orientation, and race in the classroom, they won't be able to hear us as loudly and clearly as they can when we're all together. This is why we have to pack both rooms: