The "South Carolina Pray Safe Act" aims to establish a grant program within the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to provide financial assistance for security enhancements to organizations at risk of religiously motivated crimes. The bill introduces Section 23-3-90 to the South Carolina Code of Laws, defining eligible applicants as private organizations with federal tax-exempt status that are particularly vulnerable to such crimes. The program will allow grants of up to $750,000 for security improvements, which may include security assessments, personnel, and upgrades to facilities.

SLED will be responsible for developing the application process and criteria for ranking grant applications, which will consider factors such as the risk level of the organization and any previous incidents of religiously motivated crimes. Additionally, the bill establishes the South Carolina Pray Safe Grant Program Fund in the State Treasury, ensuring that funds are exclusively used for the grants authorized by this section. The act will take effect upon the Governor's approval.

Statutes affected:
04/01/2025: 23-3-90
Latest Version: 23-3-90