Historic Hate Crimes Bill Signed Into Law

Date: November 4, 2009

The ADL welcomes the long-awaited passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act (HCPA). Thirteen years in the making, the law will allow the federal government to assist state and local officials with investigation and prosecution of bias-motivated crimes. Further, the historic legislation will cover anyone who is targeted because of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability.

This year, the ADL Plains States Office has been working hard to mobilize support in the region through lobbying efforts, op-eds in area newspapers and an online campaign.

Support for the landmark measure was a mixed bag across the Midlands. In Nebraska,  Senator Ben Nelson co-sponsored the bill, while Senator Mike Johanns voted against it. Iowa's U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (Rep) and Tom Harkin (Dem) split along party lines, while in Kansas, Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, both Republican, voted no.

The new hate crimes law represents only one of several ways a community and country can combat violent bigotry. The ADL— a leader in hate crime legislation and civil rights advocacy – provides a comprehensive array of tools to not only fight hate crimes but prevent them from taking place. From training law enforcement personnel on addressing extremism to reaching out to victims and communities after a hate crime occurs to inoculating the next generation against prejudice through education, the ADL works to stop the cycle of hate.