Months since Floyd’s death, Walmart and other companies push for SC hate crime law
Corporate heavyweights companies are throwing their support behind hate crime legislation, asking the South Carolina Legislature to pass the measure more than eight months after the death of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests over the unequal treatment of Black men and women.
South Carolina is one of three states — and the only state among its neighboring states — without a hate crime law that would stiffen penalties for crimes targeting people because of their religion, race or sexuality. Right now, state prosecutors have to rely on the federal government to prosecute cases under the government’s hate crime laws.
Representatives from Walmart, Duke Energy, IBM, UPS, South Carolina Realtors, AARP and Lexington-based Nephron Pharmaceuticals on Monday called on state lawmakers to become the next state after Georgia to sign a hate crime measure.
Passage of a hate crime bill — specifically H. 3620 — is a very important issue to Walmart, said Brooke Mueller, the retailer’s public affairs director.
“It’s an opportunity, for not only us as a business but for our colleagues as well as the people of South Carolina, to speak out loud and in a united voice against hate and the brutality that it breeds,” said Mueller, who called the legislation very personal to the company’s diverse workforce. “Walmart is not only endorsing the hate crimes bill, but we will be actively working to support this legislation to see that it becomes law.”
The S.C. Chamber of Commerce, which has prioritized hate crime measures, placing it high on its legislative agenda, hosted the call. More than 80 companies have signed a letter backing the legislation.
“Last summer was a turning point for many in the business community,” said Swati Patel, chamber interim CEO. “We began hearing from so many businesses in South Carolina that strongly support passage of a hate crimes law because they want to support their diverse workforces in the communities that they’re located in. And we began hearing from companies that believe having a hate crimes law could help encourage continued investment by major companies.”
Patel said the chamber launched a digital social media campaign using #PassHateCrimeSC Monday to further push for passage.
But two months into lawmakers’ official work, hate crime measures have not been debated or passed by the House or Senate.
The House proposal, sponsored by Rep. Wendell Gilliard, D-Charleston, and backed by a House panel created in response to this summer’s protests, has stalled in committee. Similar proposals, including a Senate bill filed by Republican Senate Education Committee chairman Greg Hembree, an attorney and former solicitor from Horry County, also still sits in committee.
House Speaker Jay Lucas, R-Darlington, pulled together a bipartisan panel of legislators to come up with policy in reaction to Floyd’s death and the subsequent calls for action. Floyd, of Minneapolis, died last May after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, causing Floyd to stop breathing. His death, captured on a cell phone, resulted in nationwide protests calling for more transparency and scrutiny over law enforcement and treatment of Black men and women.
Floyd’s death also came on the heels of the police shooting of Breonna Taylor, a Black female medical worker killed in a raid of her Louisville apartment.
Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed a hate crime bill last summer after the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was out for a jog when a group of armed white men, attempting to detain him, chased him down and shot him. Investigators say one of the men pulled the trigger, but three men have been charged with murder and other crimes for their involvement. The chase and the shooting were both captured on one of the alleged suspect’s cell phone nearly one year ago.
This June will mark six years after a white supremacist murdered nine Black churchgoers, including a sitting state senator, at Charleston’s historic Mother Emanuel AME Church. Dylann Roof, who was found guilty of federal hate crimes, sits on death row.
“And we still have not passed a law that will condemn crimes motivated by hate,” said Kim Overbay, IBM’s senior state executive for South Carolina. “I’ve seen firsthand that when employees, clients and their families are safe and that they can live without fear, our businesses and our communities thrive. There truly is no room for hate in our society.”
Patel remained hopeful that with major companies backing the measure the Legislature and Gov. Henry McMaster will listen.
She said the chamber had not received any “negative feedback” in talks with the governor’s staff.
Patel, who served in the administrations of former Govs. Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford, said her experience shows legislators are receptive to the business community. For instance, she said, it took push from business to pass a roads bill after a 10-year-long effort. Having businesses back a hate crime bill in Georgia helped too, she said.
“That’s what we’re trying to accomplish here as well.”
