COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Irmo becomes the latest municipality in South Carolina to pass a hate intimidation ordinance.

The town council held the final reading and vote on the ordinance at its regular Tuesday evening meeting. The final vote was 5-0.

The ordinance was initially proposed and passed the first reading on Aug. 20.

The ordinance now outlaws, “crimes that are motivated by bias or hate towards any person or persons, in whole or in part, because of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or national origin of any person are an affront to the commonly held values of the citizens of the Town.”

The newly passed ordinance also mentions South Carolina’s lack of a hate crime law and the

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