I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4603 

To prevent a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, 

or received an enhanced sentence for a misdemeanor because of hate 

or bias in its commission, from obtaining a firearm. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 24, 2016 

Mr. CICILLINE (for himself, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. GUTIE ́RREZ, Ms. JACKSON

LEE, Mr. NADLER, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. 

JEFFRIES, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of 

New York, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. HONDA, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. 

GRAYSON, Ms. LEE, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. 

CROWLEY, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. 

RANGEL, and Ms. JUDY CHU of California) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To prevent a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or received an enhanced sentence 

for a misdemeanor because of hate or bias in its commission, from obtaining a firearm. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hate Crimes Preven5 tion Act’’. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4603 IH

1 SEC. 2. PREVENTION OF PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CON2 VICTED OF A MISDEMEANOR HATE CRIME, 

3 OR RECEIVED AN ENHANCED SENTENCE FOR 

4 A MISDEMEANOR BECAUSE OF HATE OR BIAS 

5 IN ITS COMMISSION, FROM OBTAINING A 

6 FIREARM. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 921(a) of title 18, United 

8 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol9 lowing: 

10 ‘‘(36) The term ‘misdemeanor hate crime’ means an 

11 offense that— 

12 ‘‘(A) is a misdemeanor under Federal, State, or 

13 tribal law; and 

14 ‘‘(B) has, as an element, that the conduct of 

15 the offender was motivated by hate or bias because 

16 of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, na17 tional origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender iden18 tity (as defined in section 249(c)(4)), or disability of 

19 any person. 

20 ‘‘(37) The term ‘enhanced hate crime misdemeanor 

21 sentence’ means a sentence imposed for a misdemeanor, 

22 based, in whole or in part, on a judicial finding that the 

23 conduct of the offender was motivated, in whole or in part, 

24 by hate or bias for any reason referred to in paragraph 

25 (36).’’. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4603 IH

1 (b) PROHIBITION ON SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION

2 OF FIREARM.—Section 922(d) of such title is amended in 

3 the 1st sentence— 

4 (1) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 

5 end; 

6 (2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and 

7 inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

8 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

9 ‘‘(10) has been convicted in any court of a mis10 demeanor hate crime, or has received from any court 

11 an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sentence.’’. 

12 (c) PROHIBITION ON POSSESSION, SHIPMENT, OR

13 TRANSPORT OF FIREARM.—Section 922(g) of such title 

14 is amended— 

15 (1) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 

16 end; 

17 (2) in paragraph (9), by striking the comma 

18 and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

19 (3) by inserting after paragraph (9) the fol20 lowing: 

21 ‘‘(10) who has been convicted in any court of 

22 a misdemeanor hate crime, or has received from any 

23 court an enhanced hate crime misdemeanor sen24 tence,’’. 

Æ 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS