From the New York State Assembly Sheldon Silver, Speaker Arthur O. Eve. It is unfortunate that in a country founded on personal freedom we must still legislate against crimes spawned from personal prejudice.
Hate crimes are on the rise in New York.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force reported 8,212 incidents of anti-gay violence the same year. For the past eleven years, the Assembly has passed legislation to help end violent prejudice, but the Senate refused to join with the Assembly to address this growing problem. This year the Senate finally recognized that these crimes must be prosecuted and punished with the proper severity. Now, New York finally joins 40 other states in standing up against atrocities, such as the shooting at a Los Angeles Jewish Community Center, the brutal dragging death of James Byrd in Texas and the tragic torture and murder of Matthew Sheppard. State law will increase penalties for bias crimes.