Here are the bills and hearings to watch this week in the South Carolina Statehouse.
ICE deputizing local police for disaster
On Tuesday, March 24, at 10 a.m. in Blatt Building Room 516, the House Judiciary Committee will consider a bill that would force local police to sign collaboration bills with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, collaboration agreements with ICE are optional. House Bill 4764 would require every law enforcement agency that operates a correctional facility to sign an agreement and do the work of ICE. The 287(g) program has a disastrous track record for legal liability, fiscal responsibility, and public trust in law enforcement. You can read more about that in the ACLU report “Deputized for Disaster."
Every member of the public who has testified about this bill opposed it, and more than 1,000 South Carolinians have written to lawmakers opposing it. Please write to the representatives on the House Judiciary Committee using our form at aclusc.org/iceout and ask them to vote No on H. 4764. No spoken testimony will be allowed at this meeting.
Eroding academic freedom in universities
On Tuesday, March 24, one hour after House adjournment in Blatt Building Room 433, the House Education and Public Works Committee will consider House Bill 4761, which would erode tenure protections at public colleges and universities.
Tenure is a policy that makes some senior faculty positions semi-permanent. It is one way of protecting professors from political coercion. H. 4761 would require colleges to conduct a “post-tenure review” of each tenured faculty member every six years.
No spoken testimony will be allowed on this bill. You can write to the committee at [email protected]
Banning drag at public institutions
On Wednesday, March 25, at 11 a.m. in Gressette Building Room 209, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee will consider a bill that would prohibit any state agency, school district, library, or other institution supported by public funds from hosting a drag story hour or any other drag show attended by people under age 18.
Senate Bill 733 would infringe on First Amendment rights by limiting a form of artistic expression. It would also further stigmatize the LGBTQ+ community and threaten the livelihood of people working at institutions that receive public funds. If S. 733 passes, any institution that violates the new rule would lose its public funding.
The agenda for this meeting does not indicate if spoken comments will be allowed. You can send email comments to subcommittee members Brian Adams, Deon Tedder, Jason Elliott, Carlisle Kennedy, and Overture Walker.
A ‘halo’ for police?
A bill that would criminalize standing too close to police has passed the House and can come up for debate on the Senate floor any day now.
House Bill 4763 would impose up to a 60-day jail sentence on anybody who remains within a 25-foot radius of a law enforcement officer, after receiving a verbal warning, with the intent to cause the officer “emotional distress.” Its sponsors call it the “HALO Act” (Helping Alleviate Lawful Obstruction).
As we demonstrated on Instagram recently, a 25-foot bubble would limit South Carolinians’ ability to observe law enforcement actions and hold officers accountable. The bill includes no exceptions for media or bystanders who are recording law enforcement without confrontation, verbally attempting to deescalate an officer’s excessive use of force, or attempting to render medical assistance to an injured person.
Use this form to write an email to your state senator. Tell them to vote no on H. 4763.
Last stop for the bathroom ban
Another bill that’s dangerously close to passing, H. 4756, would require transgender students in South Carolina public schools and universities to use restrooms and changing facilities that do not match their gender.
The only way to enforce such a rule is by establishing some form of bathroom police, or people who go around accusing students of using the “wrong” facilities. This bill would place a cloud of suspicion around all students, trans or not, whose appearance does not conform with gender stereotypes.
This bill has passed the House and may come up for a vote in the Senate soon. Your state senator needs to hear from you. Use this form to reach out:
