Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Anti-Hate Crime Law

QCA NEWS...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 22, 2004


GOVERNOR SIGNS COMPREHENSIVE HATE CRIME BILL

New Law Creates Uniform Definition of Hate Crime and Enhances Protection For Persons Associated With Protected Classes

SACRAMENTO – Today, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Omnibus Hate Crimes Act of 2004 (SB 1234), Equality California-sponsored legislation by Senator Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica). SB 1234 received bipartisan support in the legislature during the final days of the legislative session. This action comes just a day before the United States House of Representatives takes up the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA, S. 966/H.R. 4204).



"Equality California greatly appreciates Governor Schwarzenegger's continued support of legislation designed to reduce discrimination and violence against LGBT Californians. We hope his action sends a strong message to any members of Congress who may not be inclined to support the federal Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act," said Geoffrey Kors, Executive Director of Equality California. "President Bush's call for writing discrimination into the United States Constitution has resulted in anti-gay rhetoric that fuels hateful activity, and we hope that this bi-partisan effort on preventing hate crimes will help reverse this trend."



SB 1234 creates a uniform definition of a hate crime that includes crimes against individuals based on their sexual orienation or gender identity, broadens what a hate crime is to include crimes against individuals based on their assosication with people who are gay or transgender (as well as association based on other protected categories), and provide tools designed to reduce such crimes.



"Hate crimes are acts of violence or terrorism, directed at an individual victim, because of their perceived association with a group or community," said Senator Sheila Kuehl. "While every hate crime represents a personal tragedy for the victim, hate crimes also are an attempt to intimidate a larger group or community of people. Hate crimes tear at the fabric of our society and it is important that we have a strong and effective response to them."



SB 1234 reflects the recommendations of several high profile commissions and studies of hate crime in California. This bill enjoyed the support a coalition of prominent organizations including the Anti-Defamation League, Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Crime Victims United, and numerous labor and LGBT organizations, including the Log Cabin Republicans of California who actively worked with EQCA to ensure that this legislation became law.



"Equality California is especially grateful to Senator Kuehl for her continued leadership on this and so many other critical issues. Her legislation will help ensure that hate crimes are prosecuted and that crimes based on hate are reduced," explained Kors. "Violence directed at people because of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or any other protected category have no place in our society. While this legislation will not end such crimes, it is an important step in the right direction."



Ultra conservative organizations had targeted this bill over the last month with many phone calls and emails urging the Governor to veto it for inaccurate reasons. In response, the organizations in support of SB 1234 rallied their members to urge the Governor to sign this extremely important law.



"The hard work of many organizations to enact this law will help prevent the terrible suffering that victims of hate crimes and their families face," said Steve Hansen, EQCA Legislative Advocate. "We are truly grateful to those that worked on and supported this comprehensive law which gives California the strongest protections against hate crime of any state in the nation."



Founded in 1998, Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure the dignity, safety, equality and civil rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. Equality California is one of the largest and fastest growing statewide LGBT organizations in the country.


For more information on SB 1234 or EQCA, please visit http://www.eqca.org .


For more information on the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, please visit the Human rights Campaign at http://www.hrc.org.