Both the House and the Senate have now passed versions of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, which would, for the first time, add sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity as categories that deserve special attention when a crime is committed because of the victim’s perceived membership in the category.
But the act isn’t yet law, and won’t be for awhile.
On his great blog Law Dork (whose headlines are included in our home-page BlogTicker), Chris Geidner, explains the various hurdles that the measure must still pass over before it lands on President Barack Obama’s desk for that final signature that would make it the law of the land.
Must read: Blogger explains the complex process hate crimes bill now faces [contd.]
The House bill passed the Shepard Act as stand-alone legislation. But in the senate, the measure was added as an amendment to a defense authorization bill. The issue now flows through the usually messy meat-grinder that most bills go through before they become the metaphorical “sausage” of law.
The various activist groups involved in the process have had their email blasters on high settings for weeks as the Shepard act has made its way through the senate. They’re likely to continue the email blasts (and appeals for funding) and even to ratchet up their sense of urgency.
It is, as always, a sloppy and confusing process – made even more confusing by the various agendas of the activist groups involved in lobbying for the measure.
Geidner explains it all very well, but also comes to this comforting conclusion:
The strong Senate vote to include hate crimes in [the defense authorization] bill, when coupled with the House’s stand-alone vote in favor, strongly counsel in favor of the hate crimes measure making it through as a part of that bill, regardless of whatever sausage-making difficulties remain.
Source: Hate Crimes: Where Are We?
Last modified: 21 Jul 09 03:03
hate crimes bill