As many of you know I went to Washington DC in May to lobby for the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (L.L.E.H.C.P.A.) well it is now up for a vote in the Senate and I urge you to contact your senator and let them know that you are in favor of this bill. Help stop the Hate!
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Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Important Facts about HR 1592 and S 1105
Why is this bill necessary?
Every act of violence is tragic and harmful, but not all crime is motivated by hate. Hate crimes occur when the perpetrator chooses the victim because of who the victim is or appears to be. These crimes are typically more violent and brutal, often involving attempts to dehumanize and ridicule the attacked individual. The violent murders of individuals like Brandon Teena and Gwen Araujo not only terrorize their friends and family, but the transgender community as a whole. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (L.L.E.H.C.P.A.) is absolutely necessary to ensure safety and provide protection to all minority groups.
Existing Federal and State Legislation:
Existing hate crimes laws protect individuals because of their race, color, religion, and national origin. The federal legislation also requires that the crime must have occurred while the victim was attempting to carry out a federally protected activity (voting, going to school, etc.). Forty-five states and the District of Columbia have passed hate crimes legislation—only Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Wyoming have no relevant statutes—but each state's legislation is different. While all of the forty-five state statues cover race, religion, and ethnicity, only thirty-two of the states cover sexual orientation, thirty-two cover disability, and twenty-eight cover gender. Only eleven cover gender identity.
NCTE's work on federal hate crimes legislation:
Federal hate crimes legislation is one of NCTE's top priorities. We help to co-write the actual legislation. We continue to win the support of Congress members through activities such as our annual Transgender Lobby Day. NCTE provides training to local activists on how to best educate members of Congress on transgender issues, and we provide the most up-to-date information on legislative activities.
What does this bill resolve?
This federal hate crimes legislation would add "gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability" to the protected class list. Additionally, this legislation would negate the requirement that the attacked individual has to be attempting to carry out a federally protected activity, such as voting, in order to be covered. The act would also amend the Hate Crimes Statistics Act by adding gender and gender identity thereby requiring the Federal Bureau of Investigation record and document the frequency, location and type of hate-motivated violence against trans people.
What does this legislation do and what is its impact?
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would:
* Extend existing federal protections to include "gender identity, sexual orientation, gender and disability,"
* Allow the Justice Department to assist in hate crime investigations at the local level when local law enforcement is unable or unwilling to fully address these crimes,
* Mandate that the FBI begin tracking hate crimes based on actual or perceived gender identity,
* Remove limitations that narrowly define hate crimes to violence committed while a person is accessing a federally protected activity, such as voting.
Who supports this legislation?
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act is supported by 26 state Attorneys General and over 280 national law enforcement, professional, education, civil rights, religious, and civic organizations including: President George H.W. Bush's Attorney General Dick Thornburgh; National Sheriffs' Association; International Association of Chiefs of Police; U.S. Conference of Mayors; Presbyterian Church; Episcopal Church; and the Parent's Network on Disabilities.
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To help you contact your senator here is a link to help you. Here is a sample letter that you can cut and paste in to the form:
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As a citizen and voter I urge you to vote in favor of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (L.L.E.H.C.P.A.) as it was passed by the House and is now it is up for vote in the Senate.
The bill would:
1. Extend existing federal protections to include “gender identity, sexual orientation, gender and disability”
2. Allow the Justice Department to assist in hate crime investigations at the local level when local law enforcement is unable or unwilling to fully address these crimes
3. Mandate that the FBI begin tracking hate crimes based on actual or perceived gender identity
4. Remove limitations that narrowly define hate crimes to violence committed while a person is accessing a federally protected activity, such as voting.
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act is supported by 26 state Attorneys General and over 280 national law enforcement, professional, education, civil rights, religious, and civic organizations including: President George H.W. Bush's Attorney General Dick Thornburgh; National Sheriffs' Association; International Association of Chiefs of Police; U.S. Conference of Mayors; Presbyterian Church; Episcopal Church; and the Parent's Network on Disabilities.
The bill does NOT prohibit “Free Speech” but only violent acts such as what was done to Matthew Shepard and Teena Brandon
Please vote in favor of this bill and help stop the Hate.
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Please help us end the hate and discrimination and contact your senator now, thank you.
It's a shame that such a law has to be passed. Hate crimes should already be properly punished. Oh well.
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