Hate Crime
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Legislation
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Hate Crime - Legislation

This section presents a sample of links to online Federal and State legislation and testimony.

Key Bills in Congress Legislation

This act expands upon 1969 U.S. federal hate-crime law by extending its scope towards bodily crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, in addition to the current provisions of bodily crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived race, color, religion, and national origin. It would also codifies and expands the funding and investigative capabilities of federal officials for aiding their local counterparts.

H.R. 256: David Ray's Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009
This bill would enhance Federal enforcement of hate crimes.

H.R. 823: Hate Crime Statistics Improvement Act of 2009
This bill would amend the Hate Crime Statistics Act to require the Attorney General to acquire data about crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on gender.

H.R. 1913: Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009
This bill would provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes.

H.R. 2684: National Hate Crimes Hotline Act of 2009
This bill would establish grant programs to provide for the establishment of a national hate crime hotline and a hate crime information and assistance website, to provide training and education to local law enforcement to prevent hate crimes, and to provide assistance to victims of hate crimes.

S. 1765: Hate Crimes Against the Homeless Statistics Act of 2009
This bill would amend the Hate Crime Statistics Act to include crimes against the homeless.

Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996
This act created the National Church Arson Task Force (NCATF) in June 1996 to oversee the investigation and prosecution of arson at houses of worship around the country. The NCATF has brought together the FBI, ATF, and Department of Justice prosecutors in partnership with State and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors. In addition to the NCATF's creation, the law allowed for a broader Federal criminal jurisdiction to aid criminal prosecutions, and established a loan guarantee recovery fund for rebuilding.

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994
As a part of the 1994 Crime Act, the Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act provides for longer sentences where the offense is determined to be a hate crime. A longer sentence may be imposed if it is proven that a crime against person or property was motivated by "race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.

Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990
This act requires the Department of Justice to collect data on hate crimes. Hate crimes are defined as "manifest prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity". These statistics are compiled by the FBI using the Uniform Crime Reporting system. The Crime Act of 1994 also required the FBI to collect data on hate crimes involving disability.

State Hate Crime Statutory Provisions
This Web site provides an overview of hate crime-related legislation in each State.

Links from the NCJRS Web site to non-Federal sites do not constitute an endorsement by NCJRS or its sponsors. NCJRS is not responsible for the content or privacy policy of any off-site pages that are referenced, nor does NCJRS guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or correct sequencing of information. NCJRS is also not responsible for the use of, or results obtained from the use of, the information. It is the responsibility of the user to evaluate the content and usefulness of information obtained from non-Federal sites.