South Carolina H 4466: Financial services and insurance, antidiscrimination

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4466 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 30, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4466

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 
37-6-130 SO AS TO PROHIBIT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FROM DISCRIMINATING AGAINST A 
PERSON ON THE BASIS OF, AMONG OTHER THINGS, POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS OR RELIGIOUS 
BELIEFS; AND BY ADDING SECTION 38-57-330 SO AS TO PROHIBIT INSURERS FROM 
DISCRIMINATING AGAINST A PERSON ON THE BASIS OF, AMONG OTHER THINGS, POLITICAL 
AFFILIATIONS OR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 6, Title 37 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
37-6-130. (A) As used in this 
section, "financial institution" means a state or national bank, a savings and 
loan association, savings bank, credit union, industrial loan and thrift 
company, or mortgage lender.

 (B) 
Financial institutions shall make determinations about the provision or denial 
of services based on an analysis of risk factors unique to each current or 
prospective customer and shall not engage in a practice described in subsection 
(C). This subsection does not restrict a financial institution that claims a 
religious purpose from making such determinations based on the current or 
prospective customer's religious beliefs, religious exercise, or religious 
affiliations.

 (C) A 
financial institution shall not deny or cancel its services to a person, or 
otherwise discriminate against a person in making available such services or in 
the terms or conditions of such services, on the basis of:

 (1) 
a person's political opinions, speech, or affiliations;

 (2) 
except as provided in subsection (B), the person's religious beliefs, religious 
exercise, or religious affiliations;

 (3) 
any factor if it is not a quantitative, impartial, and risk-based standard, 
including any such factor related to the person's business sector; or

 (4) 
the use of a rating, scoring, analysis, tabulation, or action that considers a 
social credit score based on factors including:

 (a) 
a person's political opinions, speech, or affiliations;

 (b) 
except as provided in subsection (B), a person's religious beliefs, religious 
exercise, or religious affiliations;

 (c) 
a person's lawful ownership of a firearm;

 (d) 
a person's engagement in the lawful manufacture, distribution, sale, purchase, 
or use of firearms or ammunition;

 (e) 
a person's engagement in the exploration, production, utilization, 
transportation, sale, or manufacture of fossil fuel-based energy, timber, 
mining, or agriculture;

 (f) 
a person's support of the state or federal government in combatting illegal 
immigration, drug trafficking, or human trafficking;

 (g) 
a person's engagement with, facilitation of, employment by, support of, 
business relationship with, representation of, or advocacy for any person 
described in this subsection; or

 (h) 
a person's failure to meet or commit to meet, or expected failure to meet, any 
of the following as long as such person is in compliance with applicable state 
or federal law:

 (1) 
environmental standards, including emissions standards, benchmarks, 
requirements, or disclosures;

 (2) 
social governance standards, benchmarks, or requirements, including 
environmental or social justice;

 (3) 
corporate board or company employment composition standards, benchmarks, 
requirements, or disclosures based on characteristics protected under state or 
federal law; or

 (4) 
policies or procedures requiring or encouraging employee participation in 
social justice programming, including diversity, equity, or inclusion training.

 (D) In 
addition to the remedies and penalties provided under this part, a violation of 
this section constitutes a violation of the South Carolina Consumer Protection 
Code compiled in this title. A violation of this section constitutes an unfair 
or deceptive act or practice affecting trade or commerce and is subject to the 
penalties and remedies of the South Carolina Consumer Protection Code.

SECTION 2. Chapter 57, Title 38 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
38-57-330. (A) Insurers shall make determinations 
about the provision of services based on an analysis of sound underwriting and 
actuarial principles related to actual or reasonably anticipated loss 
experience unique to each current or prospective customer and shall not engage 
in a practice described in subsection (B). This subsection does not restrict an 
insurer that claims a religious purpose from making such determinations based 
on the current or prospective customer's religious beliefs, religious exercise, 
or religious affiliations.

 (B) 
An insurer shall not deny or cancel its services to a person, or otherw