Bill Number: Introduced in the House as H.R. 1913 by Representative John Conyers, D (MI-14) on April 2nd, 2009 and in the Senate as S. 909 by Senator Edward Kennedy (MA-D) on April 28, 2009.
What this Bill Will Do: The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would add sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability to existing federal hate crimes laws. It would also strengthen enforcement of these laws by allowing the U.S. Department of Justice to assist local authorities in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes cases.
What you Need to Ask for: PFLAG urges our congressional representatives to protect our families and community by supporting the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Senators need to know you SUPPORT S. 909 as they plan to vote on the bill. We urge you to e-mail them NOW and encourage them to support this critical legislation as they prepare to vote. House members who voted in favor of this legislation need to be thanked for standing up for our families.
PFLAG Talking Points:
Current law is inadequate. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Hate Crimes Statistics, crimes motivated by hate against a person based on their sexual orientation make up the third largest category of hate crimes behind race and religion, and yet current federal hate crimes laws only provide protections based on race, religion and national origin.
The bill honors the First Amendment. The legislation only prohibits criminal actions, and does not include speech. To further ensure that there is no confusion on what the bill covers and does not, an amendment was adopted that explicitly states that conduct protected under the First Amendment – free expression and free exercise clauses – is not subject to prosecution (this includes religious speech).
Support for this bill is widespread. This legislation has attracted the support of over 210 civil rights, education, religious and civic organizations. Virtually every major law enforcement organization in the country has endorsed the bill – including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Sheriffs Association, the Police Executive Research Forum and 31 state Attorneys General.
Important Notes:
- This bill was reintroduced in the 111th Congress with 120 cosponsors in the House and 37 cosponsors in the Senate.
- The bill passed in the House by recorded vote: 249-175. Be sure to thank those Representatives who voted in favor of this critical legislation.
- On June 25, 2009, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing entitled “The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.” The Hearing included the Honorable Eric H. Holder Jr., US Attorney General and Michael Lieberman, Washington Counsel for the Anti-Defamation League.
- The bill was added as an amendment to S. 1390, the Senate version of the Department of Defense Authorization bill on July 16, 2009.
Hate Crimes Resources: