Tag Archives: State: South Carolina

A federal judge held that “a South Carolina law limiting the placement of billboards advertising adult businesses is unconstitutional.” The Sign Statute at issue, S.C. Code Ann. § 57-25-145 (enacted in 2006), “prohibits most businesses which offer sexually-oriented materials or entertainment from using any ‘offpremises, outdoor advertising . . . located within one mile of a public highway.’” Grandfathered signs, such as those at issue in this case, were given until February 2009 to come into compliance with the law. Carolina Pride sued and was granted a preliminary injunction–and the government appealed.

Eugene Volokh writes at The Volokh Conspiracy: “Two magistrate judges have indeed so held, and the logic strikes me as quite right, given the text of the provision and the reasoning in the handgun possession decision (State v. Bolin).”

Haley Hughes reports in the Aiken Standard: “Aiken County Council voted 7-2 on Tuesday night in favor of an ordinance proposing the suspension of blue laws, which prohibit the sale of certain items before 1:30 p.m. on Sundays.”

Lee J. Healy reports at Go Upstate: “A student-spurred petition requesting that school district officials put a stop to religious messages at graduation ceremonies has garnered about 40 signatures and an online following of more than 100 people.”

Phil Sarata reports in the Times & Democrat: “It has become more likely that a state GOP official’s lawsuit against the City of Orangeburg over an abortion protest will go to trial. The Rev. Charles Butler and the city had both asked U.S. District Judge Margaret B. Seymour to rule on the lawsuit without a trial. She denied those motions during a hearing Thursday.”

The State (AP): “A state Republican Party official has sued the city of Orangeburg for a second time, saying a police officer prevented him from participating in an abortion protest.”

AP: “The Christian counselors Sanford sought out while trying to decide whether to stay with his wife or jump on a plane to South America advised him what else love is and isn’t. ‘Their point is that love is not a feeling,’ Sanford told The Associated Press in a tearful two-day confessional. ‘It’s a choice. It’s an action.’”

Sarah Oliver writes at Examiner.com: “South Carolina’s amendment is unconstitutional because it is not rationally related to any legitimate governmental interest. The amendment is so broad that it is not necessary to evaluate in detail any potential interest the state may have. I will compare South Carolina’s amendment to California’s to better illustrate this point.”

AP: “Attorney General Henry McMaster said Tuesday he has requested the State Law Enforcement Division to review all of Sanford’s travel records to see if any laws have been broken.”

Religion Clause Blog carries excerpts from the Governor’s comments including this: “And in this regard, let me throw one more apology out there, and that is to people of faith across South Carolina, or for that matter, across the nation, because I think that one of the big disappointments when, believe it or not, I’ve been a person of faith all my life, if somebody falls within the — the fellowship of believers or the walk of faith, I think it makes it that much harder for believers to say, ‘Well, where was that person coming from?’ Or folks that weren’t believers to say, ‘Where, indeed, was that person coming from?’ So one more apology in there.”

Oran P. Smith, president of South Carolina’s Palmetto Family Council , writes in the Herald-Journal: “South Carolinians know that kids do best with a mom and a dad. Children raised by a mother and a father are healthier, happier, do better in school and are less likely to get in trouble with the law. Though most single moms and dads are nearly superhuman in their performance as parents, the two genders bring unique gifts to parenting. Mothers do some things better than dads and vice-versa.”

Religion Clause Blog: “In Spartanburg, South Carolina, parents of two high schoolers and the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) have filed suit in federal court challenging the constitutionality of Spartanburg High School’s offering academic credit for religious released-time instruction.”

Community Defense Counsel: In U.S. v. Kapordelis, No. 07-14499 (N.D. Ga. June 1, 2009) Gregory C. Kapordelis, an anesthesiologist, was convicted in United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia “for producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251(a), 2252A(a)(2)(A), and 2252A(a)(5)(B).” He received a 420-month sentence. On appeal to the 11th Circuit, Kapordelis disputed the affidavit for the warrant that led to his arrest, the evidence that convicted him, and the “upward departure” of his sentence. The 11th Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence.

Preston Sparks reports in the Augusta Chronicle: “One of the bills, presented by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, would have updated the state’s more-than-200-year-old gambling laws by allowing gambling in homes among friends as long as the homeowner didn’t profit by charging people a fee to play. Current state law is much more stringent, forbidding any game with cards and dice, Ms. Wells said.”

Counton2.com: “Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster says in Wednesday’s blog that he filed suit against South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, seeking declaratory relief and a restraining order. McMaster said he will prosecute Craigslist for posting prostitution ads on the site in South Carolina.”

Seanna Adcox reports in the Charlotte Observer: “The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would revise the state’s 207-year-old gambling laws, which ban ‘any game with cards or dice.’ Interpreted literally, those include board games such as Sorry.”

Boston Globe (AP): “South Carolina’s top prosecutor on Tuesday called on the chief executive of popular online site Craigslist to take down ads related to prostitution and pornography or face prosecution himself.”

GreenvilleOnline.com:
“More than 500 supporters of the ‘I Believe’ state license plate were urged to speak up for their beliefs and for the production of the plate, which was halted by a federal judge.”

“All of us have been defending the system,” Ford said. “It’s time to stop. I’m not pussyfooting with this anymore.”

Fort Mill Times reports: “Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright says he has fired one of his deputies who admitted he looked at child pornography.”

Sun Sentinel: A South Carolina man surrendered to authorities Monday after Boynton Beach police said he sent child pornography to undercover detectives.

. . . New Hampshire’s state motto is ‘Live Free or Die.’ But is New Hampshire the most free place to live in the United States? Apparently it is, according to a new study, Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom . . .

Oklahoma’s House of Representatives is the first legislative body to pass a state sovereignty resolution this year under the terms of the Tenth Amendment.

LifeNews: “The South Carolina state House on Tuesday passed a bill that requires abortion businesses to give women a 24-hour reflection period before an abortion as soon as Wednesday. Legislators also signed off on the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act to …

Gay Politics reports: “College of Charleston junior Nick Shalosky recently became South Carolina’s first openly gay elected official, winning a seat on the Charleston County District 20 Constituent School Board at the age of 21.” The report indicates he won …

The AP: Abortion foes have a new tactic: The hope that women can’t look away . . . Lawmakers in 11 states are considering bills that would offer or require ultrasounds before a woman gets an abortion. The most stringent …

CNN: “As many state and local officials clamor for their share of the billions of dollars in federal aid in the stimulus bill under consideration in Washington, South Carolina’s Republican governor is sounding a note of dissent about federal efforts …

FoxNews carries this transcript of the discussion between Neil Cavuto and Sen. Jim DeMint (R) South Carolina.

WSPA.com: . . . “I think it’s unconstitutional,“ Sen. Ford says of the amendment. Because of that and the Democratic National Committee’s platform plant to encourage states to adopt civil unions, Sen. Ford has introduced the Civil Union Equality Act. …

GreenvilleOnline.com: “Women seeking an abortion in South Carolina would have to wait at least 24 hours after their ultrasound under a bill given initial approval Wednesday by a House subcommittee. The measure would increase the waiting time from an hour …

Business and Media Institute: Is the new Obama administration taking cues from the Bush administration to get Congress to act? It certainly seemed that way to, South Carolina’s junior Republican senator, Jim DeMint. DeMint, speaking Jan. 27 at The Heritage …

Greenville Online reports: It was standing room only at People’s Baptist Church in Greer on Tuesday night as more than 350 people from around the Upstate rallied to fight a federal judge’s ruling on Dec. 11 that halted the state’s …

Seven S.C. House lawmakers have prefiled a bill that would require women seeking abortions to be given a list of clinics and other facilities that provide free ultrasounds. That list could include pregnancy crisis centers — many run by antiabortion groups — that actively discourage abortion and encourage women to choose other alternatives.

No matter how many times Greenville County sheriff’s deputies round up people and charge them with being prostitutes and their customers, they keep returning to the same Westside neighborhoods, officials and residents say.

A federal judge says South Carolina must stop marketing and making license plates that feature the image of a cross and the words ‘I Believe.’

The Wall Street Journal carries this article by Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina. They write: As governors and citizens, we’ve grown increasingly concerned over the past weeks as Washington has thrown bailout after …

Religion Clause Blog reports: Catholic News Agency reports today that Beaufort County, South Carolina Councilwoman Laura Von Harten has apologized for controversial remarks she made at a Council committee meeting last Monday . . . During discussion at the Committee …

WSOCTV.com reports: “Undercover detectives said Moon River, a strip club near Richburg, was a front for the prostitution ring. They raided the club at about 12 a.m. Saturday.”

The Greenville News reports: “The priest at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in downtown Greenville has told parishioners that those who voted for Barack Obama placed themselves under divine judgment because of his stance on abortion and shouldn’t receive Holy Communion …

MyrtleBeachOnline.com reports: “A Myrtle Beach man was arrested after his baby was found inside a car in the parking lot of a local gentleman’s club, according to a police report . . . ” The report further indicates that dad …

Gaypolitics.com reports: The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced it has endorsed 100 openly LGBT political candidates in 2008, making this endorsement slate the group’s largest ever. “I think reaching this milestone is a testament to a new attitude in …

Members of a South Carolina gay rights organization said Tuesday they hope a recent controversy about ads proclaiming the state “so gay” will stir up interest in this year’s gay pride celebration.

SCNow has this report that begins: Some football coaches and players can recite a playbook front to back. They sleep with it. They eat with it. They take it wherever they go. After all, a team’s success greatly hinges on …

Religion Clause reports: [Sen. Shane Massey] . . .  says that the inclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, added through an amendment offered by Sen. Brad Hutto, a Democratic opponent of the entire bill, is a “poison pill” that now makes …

Eugene Volokh reports on the Volokh Conspiracy:  The South Carolina Law Review is pleased to announce the launch of a Peer Review Pilot Program for Volume 60. Because we believe the current system of legal scholarship publication may be improved …

UpstateToday.com reports: “During the July 7 meeting, council member Nancy Bennett said the state legislature recently approved prayer before council meetings and asked her fellow members to consider its implementation at future meetings . . .”

The AP reports: “South Carolina’s state tourism agency has dropped out of an effort to attract gay tourists. . . . Greenville Sen. David Thomas called for an audit after learning of the matter.”

The ACLU has issued this press release that begins: “The American Civil Liberties Union will announce the opening of its new South Carolina Office July 2 at a press conference and ceremonial ribbon-cutting that will include Charleston Mayor Joe Riley …

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4577 ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND/CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY NEWS RELEASE June 23, 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020 or www.telladf.org/pressroom ADF, CLS suit prompts Univ. of S.C. to correct funding inequities Christian student group was excluded from …

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has issued this press release that begins: “Americans United for Separation of Church and State today filed a lawsuit in federal district court on behalf of several religious leaders and a religious …

How Appealing links to several articles and an NPR report discussing South Carolina’s decision to allow a auto license plate with the words “I Believe” and a cross.

The AP reports: “. . . Gov. Mark Sanford signed a bill Tuesday that tells local governments three ways to have prayer at meetings that should not face constitutional challenges, based on rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. …

The South Carolina General Assembly unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that provides guidelines to public bodies within the state regarding their right to open a meeting with prayer. The bill, which adopts a version of the Alliance Defense Fund. . .

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has signed a bill that would allow women a chance to see an ultrasound of their unborn child before an abortion. The southern state is now the eighteenth to have such a law, which pro-life groups and lawmakers hope will help reduce the number of abortions further.

The court ruled that Regina McKnight, who was convicted in 2001 of homicide by child abuse after being accused of killing her unborn child with cocaine, must be granted a new trial.

The AP reports on the Charlotte Observer: A license plate with an image of a cross in front of a stained glass window with the words “I Believe” could be available to drivers in South Carolina under a bill that …

The New York Times reports: The board of the American Civil Liberties Union on Sunday voted overwhelmingly to take over the management and operations of its South Carolina affiliate, a first in the organization’s history . . . The South …

A bill awaiting the South Carolina governor’s signature would require abortion providers to ask women whether they want to see ultrasound images of their fetuses before the procedure.

A House-Senate Conference Committee agreed on compromise language that requires abortion practitioners inform a woman of her right to view her ultrasound before an abortion.

Exotic dancers in South Carolina will have to stay 6 feet from strip club customers if a proposed bill becomes law.

City Council voted unanimously to pass the ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in housing and public accommodations.

A Christian legal group has filed a complaint against the university in federal district court, alleging that the student organization funding system violates the First Amendment.

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom and the Christian Legal Society filed suit in federal court Thursday against the University of South Carolina.

Creationism v. evolution in schools has been for many years a battle in the nation’s culture war, and these days it’s no different.

County Wants Clubs to Seek Sexually Oriented Business Licenses