South Carolina H 4145: SC Pray Safe Act

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4145 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 03, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4145

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

Committee Report

February 3, 2026

H. 4145

Introduced by Reps. Bernstein, Bannister, 
Stavrinakis, W. Newton, Kirby, Teeple, Gilliam, Bauer, Wetmore, Gilliard, J. 
Moore, Bustos, Landing and C. Mitchell 

S. Printed 2/3/26--H.

Read the first time March 5, 2025

________

The committee on House 
Judiciary

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 4145) to 
amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by enacting the "South Carolina Pray Safe 
Act" by adding Section 23-3-90 so as to establish the South Carolina Pray Safe, 
etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully 
considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

 Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all 
after the enacting words and inserting:

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "South Carolina Pray Safe Act."

SECTION 2. Article 1, Chapter 3, Title 
23 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 Section 23-3-90. (A) As used in this 
section: 

 (1) "Eligible applicant" means a 
private religious organization that is:

 (a) qualified for federal 
tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;

 (b) at risk of being subject to a 
religiously motivated crime; and

 (c) is a religious organization as 
defined in Section 1-33-10.

 (2) "Eligible facility" means real 
property owned, rented, or operated by an eligible applicant.

 (3) "Offense against a religious 
organization" includes an offense against:

 (a) an employee or agent of the 
organization;

 (b) the eligible facility itself; or

 (c) individuals frequenting the eligible 
facility as part of the population served by the organization.

 (4) "Religiously motivated crime" means 
the commission, attempted commission, or alleged commission of an offense 
against a religious organization based on the religious ideology or mission of 
the organization or the population served by the organization.

 (5) "Security enhancements" includes, 
without limitation:

 (a) security assessments and 
training;

 (b) security personnel;

 (c) upgrades or improvements 
including, but not limited to, windows, doors, gates, or security-related 
landscaping;

 (d) high-intensity lighting, camera 
systems, alarms, or other security systems; and

 (e) any other security enhancement 
consistent with the purpose of the South Carolina Pray Safe Grant Program.

 (B)(1) There is established the South 
Carolina Pray Safe Grant Program within the South Carolina Department of Public 
Safety (SCDPS) to provide grants to eligible applicants for security 
enhancements to eligible facilities. Grants may be awarded to eligible 
applicants in amounts not to exceed five thousand dollars.

 (2) SCDPS may develop the form and 
manner in which eligible applicants may apply for grants. SCDPS shall rank 
applications based on the criteria set forth in subsection (C) and award grants 
based on rankings and available monies.

 (C) SCDPS shall, by rule, establish 
criteria for ranking grant applications under the grant program. Criteria must 
include, but need not be limited to:

 (1) an eligible applicant's and 
eligible facility's level of risk of being subject to a religiously motivated 
crime;

 (2) whether an eligible applicant or 
eligible facility has previously been subject to a religiously motivated crime; 
and

 (3) the level of security measures 
already in place at eligible facilities.

 (D) SCDPS shall adopt rules to implement 
the grant program. Rules must include, but need not be limited to:

 (1) policies and procedures for the 
grant application process;

 (2) terms and conditions of grant 
agreements entered into by the department and grant recipients; and

 (3) procedures for verifying that grant 
monies have been used for the purposes for which they were awarded.

 (E) There is established in the State 
Treasury, separate and distinct from the general fund, the South Carolina Pray 
Safe Grant Program Fund. The monies in the fund only may be used to fund grants 
authorized by this section. SCDPS may not award grants that exceed the balance 
in the Fund. The total balance in the Fund may not exceed seven hundred fifty 
thousand dollars for any fiscal year.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon 
approval by the Governor.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

W. NEWTON for Committee.

statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill establishes the South 
Carolina Pray Safe Grant Program Fund. This bill also establishes the South 
Carolina Pray Safe Grant Program within SLED to provide grants, not to exceed 
$750,000, to eligible applicants for security enhancements to eligible 
faciliti