We saw some important victories last week in the Statehouse.
House representatives cast a bipartisan vote in favor of a bill that would allow eviction filings to be sealed from the public record after five years (more about that below).
Senators also blocked budget provisos that would have banned drag performances in publicly funded venues and required increased surveillance of miscarriages to enforce anti-abortion laws.
We need your help to stop harmful bills and to help push positive bills across the finish line by the final day of legislative action on May 14. Here are some opportunities to join us this week.
Protecting pregnant women and newborns in the carceral system
A bill protecting the wellness of pregnant women entering the prison system passed a crucial second reading in the State Senate by a 35-4 vote on April 16. It is expected to receive a third reading and advance to the House this week.
Senate Bill 385, the Women's Childbirth Alternatives, Resources, and Education (CARE) Act, would make pregnant women who are entering the prison system eligible for release on bail for the duration of their pregnancy and 12 weeks after the birth of a child. This policy would help protect pregnant women and newborn infants during a crucial time for health and development.
This bill has bipartisan support. You can help push this bill across the finish line by writing to your state House representative here:
A hearing on Confederate memorials and foster care
On Tuesday, April 28, at 10 a.m. in Blatt Building Room 110, the House Judiciary AI, Cybersecurity, & Special Laws Subcommittee will consider two unrelated bills.
First, the subcommittee will consider Senate Bill 508, which would expand a law commonly called the “Heritage Act” that was written to prevent the removal of shrines to the Confederacy. S. 508 would make it illegal for local governments to add explanatory plaques and QR codes to these memorials.
This bill, which has already passed the Senate, would place a new restriction on free speech. It would also effectively whitewash the history of the Confederate States of America, its role in defending chattel slavery, and the U.S. Civil War.
Second, the subcommittee will consider House Bill 4302, which would require that children in residential foster care facilities be placed in housing units “based strictly upon the individual's anatomical sex at birth as recognized on their original birth certificate.”
H. 4302 is one of numerous bills introduced this session to deny rights and dignity to transgender South Carolinians of all ages. It is a discriminatory policy that would also threaten to slash state funding to facilities that are deemed to be out of compliance.
There will be a sign-up sheet in the room for spoken comments, so show up early if you would like to speak. You can also submit written comments to [email protected]
Removing the ‘Scarlet E’ of evictions
Under current law, a residential eviction filing stays on a person’s public court record for life in South Carolina — whether a person was ultimately evicted or not. This eviction record, sometimes referred to as a “Scarlet E,” can make it difficult to apply for a housing rental anywhere in the state.
House Bill 4270 would remove any eviction filing from the public index five years after the final disposition. This bill received a 77-23 vote in a crucial second reading on the House floor last week, and it is expected to receive a third reading this week. After that, the bill will have a few short days to pass through the Senate.
That’s where you come in. If you have five minutes, you can place a call to your state senator and ask them to support H. 4270. Use this form via the South Carolina Housing Justice Coalition to look up your senator and make a call:
A total abortion ban advances
On April 21, the Senate Medical Affairs Committee ignored testimony from medical professionals, faith leaders, and South Carolinians of all walks of life and voted to give a favorable report on a total abortion ban, one of the most extreme bills of its kind in the country.
Senate Bill 1095 would make it illegal to receive an abortion in South Carolina unless the pregnant person’s life is in danger. The bill would make it a felony to perform an abortion or provide abortion-inducing drugs, and a misdemeanor for a pregnant person to receive an abortion unless their life is in danger. Some anti-abortion activists complained that the bill wasn’t harsh enough, indicating that they will come back to push even crueler and more dangerous bills if this one passes.
S. 1095 has not come up for debate on the Senate floor yet. You can let your state senator know you oppose this bill by sending them an email via this form:
A bill to authorize physical force against students
As it was originally written, Senate Bill 416 would create a clear process for school districts to hold expulsion hearings when a student brings a firearm to a school.
Last week in a House Education and Public Works Committee meeting, representatives amended the bill to include something else: broad, vaguely worded authorization for school employees to use “reasonable physical force” against students to protect against physical harm or property damage.
This new amendment echoes a controversial “classroom discipline” bill, H. 5483. It is not clear why this provision is being added to a bill about expulsion hearings. Lawmakers should take more care to publicly discuss and debate bills authorizing physical force against children, rather than tack this rule onto another bill and rush it through the process.
If you would like to reach out to your lawmakers about this or any other bill, you can use the Find Your Officials page on our website. Enter your address to find who represents you in the state House and Senate, along with their contact information.
