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Politics

State Legislature

South Carolina Political Violence Prevention and Public Safety Act

Status: PassedState: South CarolinaIssue: Political Violence

Summary

The bill increases penalties for violence, property damage, and credible threats targeting public officials, election workers, or public-gathering participants while protecting lawful protest and speech. It also requires incident reporting, election-official notification, and anonymized annual summaries.

Full text

This bill establishes enhanced criminal penalties for a person convicted of assault, property damage, or a credible threat of unlawful violence when the offense is proven beyond a reasonable doubt to be motivated by the victimโ€™s or targetโ€™s status as a public official, election worker, or participant in a public gathering, provided that lawful protest, advocacy, speech, and peaceful assembly are not grounds for enhanced punishment; requires law-enforcement agencies to promptly document and report such incidents to the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division and notify affected election officials when election operations may be impacted; and directs the Attorney General to publish an annual summary of reported incidents while protecting personal identifying information and preserving all constitutional rights and due-process protections.

Judicial Review

No judicial review

No Supreme Court cases are currently attached to this law.

No cases filed.

Sponsor

Brett StephensRepublican Party

Cosponsors

Archived proceedingsSouth Carolina Chamber
Debate in progress

South Carolina Political Violence Prevention and Public Safety Act

Floor statements
6
Speakers
2
Chair bulletins
3

Floor statements

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Pinned
Chamber bulletin
This bill awaits the Governor's action. Deadline: 2026-10-21 13:25:11 (UTC).
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Voting is now open for 72 hours.
Closes:
Members may vote Aye, Nay, or Present. Results are visible in real time.
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Chamber bulletin
Floor debate is open for 72 hours.
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This bill has been enacted via no action (pocket pass) at the Governor review deadline.
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Result: passed.
Aye: 100 seats
Nay: 0 seats
Present: 0 seats
Total seats: 100
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I will always condemn political violence, threats, and intimidation. Election workers deserve protection, and no public servant should face violence for performing their duties. But protecting democracy also means protecting the right of ordinary people to challenge those in power. I cannot support enhanced criminal penalties without stronger guarantees against selective enforcement and political misuse. We must distinguish genuine threats of violence from the anger, dissent, and protest that are fundamental to a free society. I will not vote for legislation that leaves those distinctions vulnerable to interpretation. Protect our people, protect our elections, and protect our constitutional freedomsโ€”but do not give government another instrument that could be turned against the very people it is meant to serve.
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