Date: Thu, 11 Mar 99 17:10:50 -0500 From: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Subject: Hate Crimes Prevention Act to be Introduced ********************************************** NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE PRESS RELEASE Contact: Tracey Conaty, Communications Director 202-332-6483 ext. 3303 800-757-6476 pager tconaty@ngltf.org 2320 17TH Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-2702 http://www.ngltf.org ********************************************** CONGRESS PLANS INTRODUCTION OF HATE CRIMES PREVENTION ACT WASHINGTON, DC---March 11, 1998--- The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force applauds the announcement by Congressional leaders of plans to introduce the Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA). The Hate Crimes Prevention Act will provide new authority for federal officials to investigate and prosecute cases of bias violence, including sexual orientation bias. "We hope that Congress will have the will and the conscience to do what many state lawmakers this year have failed to do: help addressing hate crimes by passing legislation that is of great importance, both symbolically and practically," said NGLTF executive director Kerry Lobel. "We ask our elected officials in Congress, if not now then when? The time for the Hate Crimes Prevention Act is now," added Lobel. Thus far this year, a number of state legislatures, including Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana voted down hate crime bills. The New Mexico legislature passed a hate crimes measure, only to have New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson veto it. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act would specifically add sexual orientation, gender, and disability to existing federal hate crimes law. Currently, the federal government is only allowed to involve itself in hate violence incidents based on racial, religious, and ethnic violence. Even then, involvement by the federal government is limited to very narrow parameters. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act would remove some of those barriers to federal intervention. Introduction of HCPA comes not long after the vicious and highly publicized racist murder of James Bird, an African-American man, in Jasper, Texas and the brutal anti-gay killings of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming and Billy Jack Gaither in Syclacauga, Alabama. Most states do not have hate crimes laws to punish individuals who commit hate violence based on sexual orientation. Violent crime throughout the United States has been declining in recent years, yet, hate crimes against GLBT people continue to rise. In 1997, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects, at least 18 lives were lost as a result of anti-GLBT violence. In addition, the FBI reports there were 1,102 anti-gay hate crimes in 1997 or 13.7 percent of the 8,049 total reported hate crimes for that year. -30- _____________________________________________________________________ Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force works to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. _________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Media Department. If you have a question regarding this post, please direct it to the contact at the top of this message. If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, please send an email with "UNSUBSCRIBE PRESSLIST" in the subject and body of your email message to . You may also unsubscribe by visiting http://www.ngltf.org.