Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (formerly the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009) was signed into law on October 28, 2009. A version of the Act was introduced in 1997, and the House of Representatives and the Senate have passed some version of it at various times since then.
History
- Senate Sends Landmark Hate Crimes Bill to President Obama - 10/22/09
- House Passes Hate Crimes Bill; Civil Rights Community Looks to the Senate - 10/8/09
- Senate Adds Death Penalty Amendment to Kill Hate Crimes Legislation - 7/20/09
- Swift Senate Passage of Hate Crimes Bill Urged - 7/1/09
- House Passes Hate Crimes Bill - 4/29/09
- House Judiciary Committee to Vote on Hate Crimes Bill Today - 4/22/09
- Human Rights Campaign Launches Website to Push for Federal Hate Crimes Bill - 4/8/09
- More on Previous Versions of Hate Crimes Legislation
Supporters
LLEHCPA is supported by twenty-six state attorneys general and over 300 national law enforcement, professional, education, civil rights, religious, and civic organizations.
- View a list of endorsing organizations
- Women's community letter on LLEHCPA 2009
- Faith community letter on LLEHCPA 2009
- Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities letter on LLEHCPA 2009
Resources for Coalition Members
- Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act - What You Need to Know (pdf) - Anti-Defamation League
- LLEHCPA background and talking points
- LLEHCPA and the First Amendment
- Downloadable Resource Packet (pdf)
- LLEHCPA 2007 Organizing Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions: Hate Crimes & LLEHCPA - Human Rights Campaign
- The Truth About the Philadelphia Outfest Arrests: Hate Crimes Laws Are Not Used to Punish Speech - Human Rights Campaign
- Historical Pervasiveness of Bias-Motivated Violence (pdf) - Human Rights Campaign
- Facts v. Rhetoric on Hate Crimes Legislation: Congress' Record on Federalization (pdf) - Human Rights Campaign
Background Information
- H.R. 1913 - Text of legislation, sponsors, and related information
- State Hate Crimes Statutory Provisions (pdf) - Anti-Defamation League
- Hate Crimes Legislation: A Matter of Basic Fairness - by Wade Henderson, Talking Justice Blog - 8/17/08
- LLEHCPA Overview - Human Rights Campaign
