President Obama to sign Hate Crimes Bill today!

The hard work of many LBGTQ Activists will finally come together today with the signature of the President on HR2647.

The new measure, attached to an essential military-spending bill, broadens the definition of federal hate crimes to include those committed because of a victim’s gender or gender identity, or sexual orientation. It gives victims the same federal safeguards already afforded to people who are victims of violent crimes because of their race, color, religion or national origin.

The law allocates $5 million a year to the Justice Department to assist local communities in investigating hate crimes, and it would allow the agency to assist in investigations and prosecutions if local agencies requested help. It includes provisions for mandatory training of local law enforcement. This will help in so many ways, and give local organizers a chance to interact with the police in a positive way. Eighteen states ( GA included) have no state Hate Crimes laws, so this provision to “step in” is critical for a proper investigation.

Federal protections for people who are victims of violent crime because of their sexual orientation have been sought for more than a decade, at least since the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming college student. Judy Shepard, Mathew’s mother, is expected to be at the sigining along with many other prominent LBGTQ activists.

I personally lobbied for Federal Hate Crimes bill six times in DC, honestly I had almost no confidence it would pass until I heard President-Elect Obama actually say the word “Transgender” in his Grant Park acceptance speech. As President he committed to signing a fully inclusive bill, and by george today it will happen.

“This is a great day for America,” commented Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, “as we make a clear statement that all lives are valuable and that no one deserves to be targeted for violence just because they are transgender. It is vital that we make it absolutely clear that violence motivated by bias is not tolerated in our country, because while this is a victory, the true victory will come when everyone is genuinely free from violence and discrimination. That’s what we are working for.”

More on the bill here.