President Signs Hate Crimes Bill

CBS NEWS (10/28/09):

President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed and celebrated hate crime legislation that extends protection to people based on sexual orientation, sealing a long-fought victory to gay advocates. The new law expands federal hate crimes to include those committed against people because of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It also loosens limits on when federal law enforcement can intervene and prosecute crimes, amounting to the biggest expansion of the civil-rights era law in decades.

Obama said in East Room reception, surrounded by joyous supporters, "No one in America should be forced to look over their shoulder because of who they are, or because they live with a disability."

Disability Included Under Hate Crime Protections

US-- S. 909, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA), included in S. 1390, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 HAS PASSED THE SENATE. It will now head to President Obama for signature.

Under this measure, federal hate crime law is expanded to cover offenses based on a victim's gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, or on a disability.

Several controversial amendments proposed to S.1390 by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and John Thune (R-SD) also passed the Senate. Senator Sessions' amendments allow the death penalty in certain cases involving hate crimes and gives the Attorney General the ability to set the criteria that determines if a hate crime has been committed. Senator Thune's amendment allows state-to-state reciprocity for concealed weapon permits.

RELATED:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/07/hrc-matthew-shepard-act-passes---contact-your-senators.html
http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=4361
http://www.tips-q.com/news/msm/1160317-hrc-senate-adopts-unwelcomed-amendments-matthew-shepard-hate-crimes-prevention-act
http://www.queerty.com/shock-death-penalty-officially-on-the-table-for-hate-crimes-20090721/