By Andy Brack, editor and publisher   |  South Carolina is just one of four states without a law that punishes people who violently lash out against others or property because of hate.  Rep. Beth Bernstein, D-Columbia, is working to build a coalition of lawmakers to change the status quo — and soon.

“Tragic events like the Mother Emanuel church shooting [in Charleston] and the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting highlight the need for hate crimes legislation in our state,” she told Statehouse Report.  “Those incidents represent some of the most heinous crimes, and they were committed based solely on who the victim is as a person.”