Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to assist state, local, and Indian law enforcement officials with such extraordinary expenses. Directs the Office of Justice Programs to: (1) work closely with funded jurisdictions to ensure that the concerns and needs of all affected parties are addressed; and (2) award grants to state and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles.
Prohibits specified offenses involving actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to study and provide sentencing enhancements for adult recruitment of juveniles to commit hate crimes.
Amends the Hate Crimes Statistics Act to require the crime data to be collected and published by the Attorney General to include data about crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on gender.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1145 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1145
To provide Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions to
prosecute hate crimes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 26, 2005
Mr. Kennedy (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Smith, Mr. Leahy, Ms.
Collins, Mr. Lieberman, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Jeffords, Mr.
Schumer, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Biden, Mr.
Bingaman, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Coleman, Mr.
Corzine, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Harkin,
Mr. Inouye, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kerry, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Levin, Mrs.
Lincoln, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Nelson
of Florida, Mr. Obama, Mr. Reed, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Sarbanes, Ms.
Stabenow, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Pryor, and Mr. Rockefeller) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions to
prosecute hate crimes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Local Law Enforcement Enhancement
Act of 2005''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The incidence of violence motivated by the actual or
perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender,
sexual orientation, or disability of the victim poses a serious
national problem.
(2) Such violence disrupts the tranquility and safety of
communities and is deeply divisive.
(3) State and local authorities are now and will continue
to be responsible for prosecuting the overwhelming majority of
violent crimes in the United States, including violent crimes
motivated by bias. These authorities can carry out their
responsibilities more effectively with greater Federal
assistance.
(4) Existing Federal law is inadequate to address this
problem.
(5) The prominent characteristic of a violent crime
motivated by bias is that it devastates not just the actual
victim and the family and friends of the victim, but frequently
savages the community sharing the traits that caused the victim
to be selected.
(6) Such violence substantially affects interstate commerce
in many ways, including--
(A) by impeding the movement of members of targeted
groups and forcing such members to move across State
lines to escape the incidence or risk of such violence;
and
(B) by preventing members of targeted groups from
purchasing goods and services, obtaining or sustaining
employment, or participating in other commercial
activity.
(7) Perpetrators cross State lines to commit such violence.
(8) Channels, facilities, and instrumentalities of
interstate commerce are used to facilitate the commission of
such violence.
(9) Such violence is committed using articles that have
traveled in interstate commerce.
(10) For generations, the institutions of slavery and
involuntary servitude were defined by the race, color, and
ancestry of those held in bondage. Slavery and involuntary
servitude were enforced, both prior to and after the adoption
of the 13th amendment to the Constitution of the United States,
through widespread public and private violence directed at
persons because of their race, color, or ancestry, or perceived
race, color, or ancestry. Accordingly, eliminating racially
motivated violence is an important means of eliminating, to the
extent possible, the badges, incidents, and relics of slavery
and involuntary servitude.
(11) Both at the time when the 13th, 14th, and 15th
amendments to the Constitution of the United States were
adopted, and continuing to date, members of certain religious
and national origin groups were and are perceived to be
distinct ``races''. Thus, in order to eliminate, to the extent
possible, the badges, incidents, and relics of slavery, it is
necessary to prohibit assaults on the basis of real or
perceived religions or national origins, at least to the extent
such religions or national origins were regarded as races at
the time of the adoption of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments
to the Constitution of the United States.
(12) Federal jurisdiction over certain violent crimes
motivated by bias enables Federal, State, and local authorities
to work together as partners in the investigation and
prosecution of such crimes.
(13) The problem of crimes motivated by bias is
sufficiently serious, widespread, and interstate in nature as
to warrant Federal assistance to States and local
jurisdictions.
SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF HATE CRIME.
In this Act, the term ``hate crime'' has the same meaning as in
section 280003(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act
of 1994 (28 U.S.C. 994 note).
SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS BY STATE
AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.
(a) Assistance Other Than Financial Assistance.--
(1) In general.--At the request of a law enforcement
official of a State or Indian tribe, the Attorney General may
provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other form
of assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of
any crime that--
(A) constitutes a crime of violence (as defined in
section 16 of title 18, United States Code);
(B) constitutes a felony under the laws of the
State or Indian tribe; and
(C) is motivated by prejudice based on the race,
color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual
orientation, or disability of the victim, or is a
violation of the hate crime laws of the State or Indian
tribe.
(2) Priority.--In providing assistance under paragraph (1),
the Attorney General shall give priority to crimes committed by
offenders who have committed crimes in more than 1 State and to
rural jurisdictions that have difficulty covering the
extraordinary expenses relating to the investigation or
prosecution of the crime.
(b) Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Attorney General may award grants to
assist State, local, and Indian law enforcement officials with
the extraordinary expenses associated with the investigation
and prosecution of hate crimes.
(2) Office of justice programs.--In implementing the grant
program, the Office of Justice Programs shall work closely with
the funded jurisdictions to ensure that the concerns and needs
of all affected parties, including community groups and
schools, colleges, and universities, are addressed through the
local infrastructure developed under the grants.
(3) Application.--
(A) In general.--Each State that desires a grant
under this subsection shall submit an application to
the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and
accompanied by or containing such information as the
Attorney General shall reasonably require.
(B) Date for submission.--Applications submitted
pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be submitted during
the 60-day period beginning on a date that the Attorney
General shall prescribe.
(C) Requirements.--A State or political subdivision
of a State or tribal official applying for assistance
under this subsection shall--
(i) describe the extraordinary purposes for
which the grant is needed;
(ii) certify that the State, political
subdivision, or Indian tribe lacks the
resources necessary to investigate or prosecute
the hate crime;
(iii) demonstrate that, in developing a
plan to implement the grant, the State,
political subdivision, or tribal official has
consulted and coordinated with nonprofit,
nongovernmental victim services programs that
have experience in providing services to
victims of hate crimes; and
(iv) certify that any Federal funds
received under this subsection will be used to
supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds
that would otherwise be available for
activities funded under this subsection.
(4) Deadline.--An application for a grant under this
subsection shall be approved or disapproved by the Attorney
General not later than 30 business days after the date on which
the Attorney General receives the application.
(5) Grant amount.--A grant under this subsection shall not
exceed $100,000 for any single jurisdiction within a 1 year
period.
(6) Report.--Not later than December 31, 2006, the Attorney
General shall submit to Congress a report describing the
applications submitted for grants under this subsection, the
award of such grants, and the purposes for which the grant
amounts were expended.
(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2006 and 2007.
SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Authority to Make Grants.--The Office of Justice Programs of
the Department of Justice shall award grants, in accordance with such
regulations as the Attorney General may prescribe, to State and local
programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles,
including programs to train local law enforcement officers in
identifying, investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO ASSIST STATE AND
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of the
Treasury and the Department of Justice, including the Community
Relations Service, for fiscal years 2006, 2007, and 2008 such sums as
are necessary to increase the number of personnel to prevent and
respond to alleged violations of section 249 of title 18, United States
Code, as added by section 7.
SEC. 7. PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN HATE CRIME ACTS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 249. Hate crime acts
``(a) In General.--
``(1) Offenses involving actual or perceived race, color,
religion, or national origin.--Whoever, whether or not acting
under color of law, willfully causes bodily injury to any
person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an explosive
or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any
person, because of the actual or perceived race, color,
religion, or national origin of any person--
``(A) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years,
fined in accordance with this title, or both; and
``(B) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or
for life, fined in accordance with this title, or both,
if--
``(i) death results from the offense; or
``(ii) the offense includes kidnaping or an
attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or
an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse,
or an attempt to kill.
``(2) Offenses involving actual or perceived religion,
national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.--
``(A) In general.--Whoever, whether or not acting
under color of law, in any circumstance described in
subparagraph (B), willfully causes bodily injury to any
person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an
explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause
bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or
perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual
orientation, or disability of any person--
``(i) shall be imprisoned not more than 10
years, fined in accordance with this title, or
both; and
``(ii) shall be imprisoned for any term of
years or for life, fined in accordance with
this title, or both, if--
``(I) death results from the
offense; or
``(II) the offense includes
kidnaping or an attempt to kidnap,
aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt
to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or
an attempt to kill.
``(B) Circumstances described.--For purposes of
subparagraph (A), the circumstances described in this
subparagraph are that--
``(i) the conduct described in subparagraph
(A) occurs during the course of, or as the
result of, the travel of the defendant or the
victim--
``(I) across a State line or
national border; or
``(II) using a channel, facility,
or instrumentality of interstate or
foreign commerce;
``(ii) the defendant uses a channel,
facility, or instrumentality of interstate or
foreign commerce in connection with the conduct
described in subparagraph (A);
``(iii) in connection with the conduct
described in subparagraph (A), the defendant
employs a firearm, explosive or incendiary
device, or other weapon that has traveled in
interstate or foreign commerce; or
``(iv) the conduct described in
subparagraph (A)--
``(I) interferes with commercial or
other economic activity in which the
victim is engaged at the time of the
conduct; or
``(II) otherwise affects interstate
or foreign commerce.
``(b) Certification Requirement.--No prosecution of any offense
described in this subsection may be undertaken by the United States,
except under the certification in writing of the Attorney General, the
Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General, or any
Assistant Attorney General specially designated by the Attorney General
that--
``(1) he or she has reasonable cause to believe that the
actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin,
gender, sexual orientation, or disability of any person was a
motivating factor underlying the alleged conduct of the
defendant; and
``(2) he or his designee or she or her designee has
consulted with State or local law enforcement officials
regarding the prosecution and determined that--
``(A) the State does not have jurisdiction or does
not intend to exercise jurisdiction;
``(B) the State has requested that the Federal
Government assume jurisdiction;
``(C) the State does not object to the Federal
Government assuming jurisdiction; or
``(D) the verdict or sentence obtained pursuant to
State charges left demonstratively unvindicated the
Federal interest in eradicating bias-motivated
violence.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `explosive or incendiary device' has the
meaning given the term in section 232 of this title; and
``(2) the term `firearm' has the meaning given the term in
section 921(a) of this title.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter
13 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``249. Hate crime acts''.
SEC. 8. DUTIES OF FEDERAL SENTENCING COMMISSION.
(a) Amendment of Federal Sentencing Guidelines.--Pursuant to the
authority provided under section 994 of title 28, United States Code,
the United States Sentencing Commission shall study the issue of adult
recruitment of juveniles to commit hate crimes and shall, if
appropriate, amend the Federal sentencing guidelines to provide
sentencing enhancements (in addition to the sentencing enhancement
provided for the use of a minor during the commission of an offense)
for adult defendants who recruit juveniles to assist in the commission
of hate crimes.
(b) Consistency With Other Guidelines.--In carrying out this
section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall--
(1) ensure that there is reasonable consistency with other
Federal sentencing guidelines; and
(2) avoid duplicative punishments for substantially the
same offense.
SEC. 9. STATISTICS.
Subsection (b)(1) of the first section of the Hate Crimes
Statistics Act (28 U.S.C. 534 note) is amended by inserting ``gender,''
after ``race,''.
SEC. 10. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Act, an amendment made by this Act, or the
application of such provision or amendment to any person or
circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act,
the amendments made by this Act, and the application of the provisions
of such to any person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6037-6038)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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