BREAKING: President Biden Signs COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act
National Black Justice Coalition Applauds passage of COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act in rare moment of bipartisan support
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
WASHINGTON, DC — Moments ago, President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. Co-authored by Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, the bill mandates expedited review of hate crimes committed based on stereotypes related to COVID-19, provides training about hate crimes for federal, state, and local law enforcement divisions, provides grants for states to establish hate crimes hotlines, restorative justice sentencing options for perpetrators, as well as incentives for law enforcement to report hate crimes throughout the nation.
In response to the bill becoming law, Victoria Kirby York, deputy executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), issued the following statement:
“The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is absolutely critical for Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander and people of color throughout the United States.
“Given the massive uptick of anti-Asian hate crimes nationwide, among other disturbing instances of violence, this bill could not be passed soon enough.
“We applaud Democrats and Republicans in Congress for coming together in this rare moment of unity against hate and agreeing on critical issues, such as giving incentives for law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes.
“Now – Congress must do the important work of passing legislation that prevents discrimination and state-sanctioned hate crimes against other stigmatized, minoritized communities, including Black people in all of our diversity. More specifically, the Equality Act, the BREATHE Act, and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
“In this moment, where there is an epidemic of hate-motivated violence against transgender women of color, a gruesome pattern that has drastically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic – urgent action is needed.
“2020 shattered records of fatal hate and intimate partner motivated crimes against transgender women of color. In 2021, that rate has doubled from this time last year. Unfortunately, these crimes are rarely solved, nor do they end in the convictions of those who commit them. Misgendering, dead naming, limited hate crime reporting, and a seeming indifference to investigate anti-trans hate crimes by law enforcement sends a message that the lives of our transgender sisters are disposable. This could not be further from the truth.
“We celebrate the COVID-19 Hate Crimes bill today, which includes the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act amendment, being signed into law today will continue our fight to extend the same training, recognition and protection for transgender women of color.”