http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills info@washingtonwatch.com http://www.pjdoland.com/chai/?v=0.1 http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_HR_1592.html?rev=307 <p>H.R. 1592 would provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes.</p> <h2 id="toc0"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Leave in the 'default' tag if you do not have any edits for this section. When available, the default summary from the Congressional Research Service will automatically be added there. --> </p> <h2 id="toc1"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>H.R. 1592 was passed in the House of Representatives on May 3, 2007.</p> <h2 id="toc2"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>From the American Civil Liberties Union:</p> <p>Hate crimes based on sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability are a daily event. H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, will go a long way toward ensuring that hate crimes are fully investigated and prosecuted.</p> <p>Prosecuting violent hate crimes is critically important. So is protecting the Constitution, due process, and our First Amendment rights to speak freely and associate with whom we'd like.</p> <p>H.R. 1592 allows federal law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute hate crimes offenses in cases where local law enforcement lacks the resources, or in some cases the willingness to do so.</p> <p>In the past, the ACLU has opposed hate crime bills because they were written in a way that threatened constitutionally protected speech. But the legislation introduced by Rep. John Conyers shows that it is possible to protect targets of hate crimes without jeopardizing free speech or association rights.</p> <p>It's vital that hate crimes legislation ban prosecutors from introducing evidence of hate speech or membership in groups with bigoted beliefs unless they are specifically and directly related to the crime. H.R. 1592 includes explicit protection for speech and association, unless it specifically relates to a violent crime.</p> <p>When a person inflicts violence based on hate, it is important that they be punished. But defendants must have a fair trial, regardless of the people they associate with, and what they say. While we both may disagree with some people's speech, it must be protected or all of our speech is at risk. H.R. 1592 protects both civil rights and free speech, and should be passed into law.</p> <h2 id="toc3"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 307@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Thu, 31 May 2007 09:29:56 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_HR_1592.html?rev=261 <p>H.R. 1592 would provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes.</p> <h2 id="toc4"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Leave in the 'default' tag if you do not have any edits for this section. When available, the default summary from the Congressional Research Service will automatically be added there. --> </p> <h2 id="toc5"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to update the status of the bill!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc6"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc7"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 261@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Fri, 04 May 2007 14:13:05 EDT http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_HR_1592.html?rev=262 <p>H.R. 1592 would provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes.</p> <h2 id="toc8"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Leave in the 'default' tag if you do not have any edits for this section. When available, the default summary from the Congressional Research Service will automatically be added there. --> </p> <h2 id="toc9"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to update the status of the bill!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc10"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>The ACLU believes that the Congress can and should expand federal jurisdiction to prosecute criminal civil rights violations when state and local governments are unwilling or unable to prosecute. At the same time, we also believe that these prosecutions should not include evidence of mere abstract beliefs or mere membership in an organization from becoming a basis for such prosecutions. The hate crimes bill accomplishes these goals by providing a stronger federal response to criminal civil rights violations, but tempering it with clear protections for free speech.</p> <h2 id="toc11"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 262@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Fri, 04 May 2007 14:13:05 EDT