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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Josh Shapiro |
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Shapiro’s bill to strengthen hate crimes protections approved by committee
HARRISBURG, Nov. 17 – State Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, today secured the House Judiciary Committee's approval for his bill to strengthen Pennsylvania’s Hate Crimes Law by a bipartisan vote of 18-8.
Shapiro’s bill (H.B. 745) would expand the law to include crimes motivated by malicious intent toward an individual’s or group’s actual or perceived ancestry, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. The bill is now pending before the full House.
House Bill 745 would reinstate the protections provided to Pennsylvanians under the law that went into effect in December 2002 and was subsequently overturned by the state Supreme Court on a technicality unrelated to the substance of the bill.
"Today’s bipartisan vote was a significant step forward for Pennsylvania to ensure that hate violence perpetrated against our people and communities is not tolerated," Shapiro said.
Shapiro’s bill parallels the federal hate crimes bill, known as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in October. Both bills are needed to ensure these protections at all levels of government.
Shapiro represents the 153rd Legislative District in Montgomery County. For more information, visit www.pahouse.com/Shapiro.