Tuesday evening September 17th at 6:00pm, Columbia City Council will take up two controversial city ordinances. The two ordinances concern two issues getting lots of discussion right now.
The Columbia City Council agenda (available online) item #46 concerns a “Red Flag” ordinance for the city. And agenda item #47 concerns a Hate Speech ordinance. Both of these ordinances are in the National and State discussion now and could ultimately impact what you say, how you say it or whether you can legally say it at all within the city limits of Columbia. Violation of the ordinances could be anything from fines to jail.
These ordinances would apply throughout the city of Columbia which includes areas quite far out and diverse. The City limits encompass Irmo, Dutch Fork area, St. Andrews, Columbia International University, past Pisgah Church Rd, USC, and Ft. Jackson among others.
The first reading was held in August and two people spoke against it. The initial reading got unanimous approval of the six City Council members in at that time.
The ordinances could have consequences many are not thinking about by limiting free speech, freedom of religion and 2nd Amendment Constitutional guarantees. Local pastors and liberty advocates are calling for citizen response against the bill. More on this in a following article.
The Columbia City Council will have the public Meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at City Hall, 1737 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201.
If you have questions, concerns or thoughts about the bills mentioned, contact the Columbia City Council at the following:
Stephen K. Benjamin, Mayor
803-545-3075
Twitter/Instagram: @SteveBenjaminSC
Sam Davis, City Council District #1
803-315-5718
sam.davis@columbiasc.gov
P.O. Box 147
Columbia, SC 29217
Tameika Isaac Devine, City Council District #At Large
803-254-8868
tidevine@jilawfirm.com
Moe Baddourah, City Council District #3
Moe.baddourah@columbiasc.gov
803-318-3111
P.O. Box 147
Columbia, SC 29217
Howard E. Duvall, Jr., City Council District #At Large
803-238-6875
Howard.Duvall@columbiasc.gov
P.O. Box 147
Columbia, SC 29217
Edward H. McDowell, Jr., City Council District #2
803-545-3061
Edward.McDowell@columbiasc.gov
P.O. Box 147
Columbia, SC 29217
Daniel J. Rickenmann, City Council District #4
803-920-9541
djrickenmann@Columbiasc.gov
Michael Reed is editor of The Standard newspaper.
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