July 07--REPORTING FROM COLUMBIA. S.C. -- South Carolina's Senate overwhelmingly gave final approval Tuesday to a bill to remove the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds, sending the landmark issue to the House of Representatives.
The vote for the third and final reading of the flag bill was 36 to 3, with Sens. Lee Bright, Harvey S. Peeler Jr. and Daniel B. Verdin III casting no votes.
In a speech immediately before the vote, Verdin told tales of his ancestors who fought in the Civil War and said he was concerned that if society didn't show "reverence and respect" for the symbols of their forebears, "those who came after us might treat us the same way."
The matter required a two-thirds vote from the Senate's 28 Republicans and 18 Democrats. The bill is scheduled to go before the House on Wednesday.
"Obviously, we have done something momentous, very historic," Sen. Gerald Malloy said after the vote, according to a live stream of the proceedings.
Malloy said he had spent time with the wife of Sen. Clementa C. Pinckney on a "daily basis" after a man who had posed in photos with Confederate flags allegedly shot and killed Pinckney and eight other parishioners at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston on June 17.
Dylann Roof, 21, the suspected gunman, has been charged with nine counts of murder in the shooting.
"Words cannot describe the deep grief that his family has been suffering from," Malloy said. "The Senate has responded, and Jennifer [Pinckney] has been our strength around us."
The House of Representatives must now consider the flag measure before it can be sent to Gov. Nikki Haley, who has called for the flag to come down.
According to a survey of lawmakers conducted by the Charleston Post and Courier newspaper, 83 lawmakers in the House said they would vote to remove the Confederate flag, surpassing the 82 votes needed for a supermajority.
Nine House lawmakers said they would oppose taking down the flag and the rest were undecided or did not state their positions.
Pearce reported from Los Angeles; Jarvie from Columbia, S.C.
UPDATE
11:26 a.m.: This story was updated with information about House vote.
This story was originally published at 8:45 a.m.
