South Carolina S 57: Provide Penalties for Hate Crimes

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 57 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 11, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 57

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
16-3-2410; BY AMENDING SECTION 16-11-510, RELATING TO MALICIOUS INJURY TO 
ANIMALS AND OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY, SO AS TO REVISE THE PENALTIES FOR 
MALICIOUS INJURY TO PERSONAL PROPERTY; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 16-11-520, 
RELATING TO MALICIOUS INJURY TO A TREE, HOUSE, OUTSIDE FENCE, OR FIXTURE AND 
TRESPASS UPON REAL PROPERTY, SO AS TO REVISE THE PENALTIES FOR MALICIOUS INJURY 
TO REAL PROPERTY AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PENALTIES FOR PERSONS WHO 
MALICIOUSLY INJURE PERSONAL OR REAL PROPERTY OF ANOTHER PERSON WITH THE INTENT 
TO ASSAULT, INTIMIDATE, OR THREATEN THAT PERSON.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 3, Title 16 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

Article 22

Hate Crimes

 Section 
16-3-2410. A person who commits an offense contained in this chapter with the 
intent to assault, intimidate, or threaten a person because of his race, 
religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or sexual orientation is guilty of 
a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two thousand dollars 
nor more than ten thousand dollars, or imprisoned not less than two years nor 
more than fifteen years, or both. Two thousand dollars of a fine and two years 
of a sentence imposed pursuant to the provisions of this article may not be 
suspended.

SECTION 2. Section 16-11-510 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
16-11-510. (A) It is unlawful for a 
person to wilfully and maliciously cut, shoot, maim, wound, or otherwise injure 
or destroy any horse, mule, cattle, hog, sheep, goat, or any other kind, class, 
article, or description of personal property, or the goods and chattels of 
another.

 (B) 
A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a:

 (1) 
felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or 
imprisoned not more than ten years, or both, if the injury to the property or 
the property loss is worth ten thousand dollars or more;

 (2) 
felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or 
imprisoned not more than five years, or both, if the injury to the property or 
the property loss is worth more than two thousand dollars but less than ten 
thousand dollars;

 (3) 
misdemeanor triable in magistrates court or municipal court, notwithstanding 
the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, if the 
injury to the property or the property loss is worth two thousand dollars or 
less. Upon conviction, the person must be fined not more than one thousand 
dollars, or imprisoned, not more than thirty days, or both.

 (C) A person who violates the 
provisions of subsection (A) with the intent to assault, intimidate, or 
threaten a person because of his race, religion, color, sex, age, national 
origin, or sexual orientation is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must 
be fined not less than two thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars, 
or imprisoned not less than two years nor more than fifteen years, or both. Two 
thousand dollars of a fine and two years of a sentence imposed pursuant to the 
provisions of this subsection may not be suspended. For purposes of this 
section, "sexual orientation" means a person's actual or perceived 
heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality, or gender identity or expression.

SECTION 3. Section 16-11-520 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
16-11-520. (A) It is unlawful for a 
person to wilfully and maliciously cut, mutilate, deface, or otherwise injure a 
tree, house, outside fence, or fixture of another or commit any other trespass 
upon real property of another.

 (B) 
A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a:

 (1) 
felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or 
imprisoned not more than ten years, or both, if the injury to the property or 
the property loss is worth ten thousand dollars or more;

 (2) 
felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or 
imprisoned not more than five years, or both, if the injury to the property or 
the property loss is worth more than two thousand dollars but less than ten 
thousand dollars;

 (3) 
misdemeanor triable in magistrates court or municipal court, notwithstanding 
the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, if the 
injury to the property or the property loss is worth two thousand dollars or 
less. Upon conviction, the person must be fined not more than one thousand 
dollars, or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

 (C) A person who violates the 
pro