After the Indiana House of Representatives this week passed a bias crimes statute that does NOT include protections for characteristics such as sex, gender identity and age, we will be holding a press conference and rally with women and advocates from around the state to urge Governor Holcomb, Senate Pro Tempore Bray and bill author Senator Michael Bohacek to dissent on Senate Bill 198 so that the missing characteristics can be added in conference committee.
Women make up 52% of Indiana voters, but Indiana’s current bias crimes law will not allow judges to enact an enhanced sentence for crimes that are motivated by bias and hate against them. While Indiana’s lawmakers have been focused on moving the state off the list of states without a bias crimes law, they have left behind communities that we know are the victims of hate crimes. Senate Bill 198 does NOT create the comprehensive legislation that Indiana needs and deserves in 2019. For Indiana’s law to be effective, a bias crimes bill must include an enumerated list of characteristics that include – at a minimum – race, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, gender identity and sexual orientation.
