B’nai B’rith International welcomes the passage of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (H.R. 1913). The House of Representatives voted by a comfortable margin in favor of the legislation that would enable greater federal involvement in the investigation of hate crimes.
Under the measure, which passed by a comfortable margin, crimes motivated by gender identity, sexual orientation, gender, and mental and physical disability would also be considered hate crimes.
“We welcome this much-needed expansion of federal hate-crimes laws,” said B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin. “A civil society cannot tolerate a crime of hate. For too long, too many groups were not adequately protected. This long-awaited improvement to the law will give law enforcement at every level the tools they need to punish those who commit crimes of hate.”
B’nai B’rith urges the Senate to quickly pass the legislation and for the president, who has indicated his support for the measure, to sign it.
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