McMaster doesn’t intend to veto S.C. proviso on conversion therapy bans
COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said he does not plan to veto a measure that would threaten funding to cities with bans on conversion therapy.
“I know there are a lot of important things that need to be done,” McMaster told reporters Wednesday. “I think that city ordinance is not one of them. The city’s growing. It’s looking good. I don’t understand it...the need for that. Besides that, I think the attorney general thinks it’s unconstitutional and it probably is. If the state sees a need to react to that, then that’s what they’re going to do.”
The measure to limit state funding is in the form of a proviso, or temporary law, within the budget that was introduced by state Sen. Josh Kimbrell.
McMaster’s latest comments came a day after the Columbia City Council, for a second time, delayed a first vote on an ordinance to repeal its ban on conversion therapy. It’s unclear when the ordinance will be brought up again.
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As of Wednesday, Columbia remains the only city in the state with a local ban on conversion therapy, defined as the use of counseling to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Because of the proviso, estimates show the city stands to lose around $3.7 million in funding from the state if the ban remains in place.
The push to repeal the city’s ban was sparked by a recent letter from South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson to Columbia City Council, saying he believes the city’s ban is illegal.
Wilson threatened to sue on behalf of the state if it were not repealed.
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State Rep. Bruce Bannister later told reporters that Columbia city officials were the ones who asked lawmakers to keep the funding threat targeting the city as they negotiated the budget.
He did not directly answer if Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann specifically talked with state lawmakers. Rickenmann denied the claims at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
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