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Another SC town implements hate crime ordinance, as the state remains one of two without a law

Town of Hollywood

The Hollywood Town Council unanimously passed a local hate crime ordinance during its meeting Monday night.

The Lowcountry community is the 20th municipality in the state to enact its own measure addressing bias-motivated offenses.

The new law allows the town to impose penalties and jail time for crimes carried out against individuals based on their race, religion, color, etc.

"Other towns have jumped on board, and we want everyone to know that we don't tolerate hate in this community," Hollywood Mayor Chardale Murray said following the vote

Why on the local level?

Hollywood's decision to create its own ordinance follows other areas addressing gaps in state law. South Carolina remains one of only two states in the country, alongside Wyoming, without a statewide hate crime law.

The Municipal Association of South Carolina has a list of other towns and cities that have enacted their own laws.

Kristina Thacker joined the South Carolina Public Radio team in September of 2025. She is a multimedia journalist with experience in both on-air reporting and production.