Current Status Introducing Body:Senate Bill Number:1548 Primary Sponsor:Washington Committee Number:11 Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Public grounds, regulation of religious speech on Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Judiciary Computer Document Number:1548 Introduced Date:May 13, 1992 Last History Body:Senate Last History Date:May 13, 1992 Last History Type:Introduced, read first time, referred to Committee Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Washington Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN ---- ------ ------------ ------------------------------ --- 1548 Senate May 13, 1992 Introduced, read first time, 11 referred to CommitteeView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING ARTICLE 5 TO CHAPTER 11 OF TITLE 10, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION OF ENTRY ONTO PUBLIC GROUNDS AND THE REGULATION OF RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION AND SPEECH ON PUBLIC GROUNDS BY COUNTIES, MUNICIPALITIES, AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THE STATE.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 11, Title 10 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 10-11-510. A county, municipality, or political subdivision of the State must not prohibit the normal, peaceful entry of any person upon public grounds, subject only to laws or rules governing the portions of public grounds which may be entered and the hours during which entry is allowed. However, a county, municipality, or political subdivision may regulate a person's entry upon public grounds where (1) the entry is for the purpose of engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct with the intent to physically obstruct, impede, or disturb passage by other persons on the public grounds, or (2) the entry is for the purpose of impeding, disrupting, or disturbing the orderly conduct of business on or adjacent to the public grounds. Such regulations must not be arbitrarily or discriminatorily imposed or enforced.
Section 10-11-520. A county, municipality, or political subdivision of the State must not prohibit or subject to prior restraint any person's religious expression or speech on public grounds. However, a county, municipality, or political subdivision may regulate a person's religious expression or speech on public grounds by (1) requiring compliance with any laws, rules, or ordinances enacted or promulgated as provided for in Section 10-11-510, or (2) by prohibiting language or conduct which in its common acceptation is calculated to cause substantial risk of provoking or inciting violence or breach of the peace."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.