COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act
Bill: H.R.1843 | Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace (D-NY)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act
This bill requires a designated officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) hate crimes and reports of COVID-19 hate crimes.
It defines COVID-19 hate crime as a violent crime that is motivated by two things: (1) the actual or perceived characteristic (e.g., race or ethnicity) of any person, and (2) the actual or perceived relationship to the spread of COVID-19 of any person because of that characteristic.
The bill requires DOJ to issue guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies on (1) the establishment of online hate crime reporting processes and the availability of online reporting in multiple languages, and (2) the expansion of culturally competent education campaigns. Additionally, DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must issue guidance on best practices for mitigating racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.

To facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 hate crimes, and for 
                            other purposes.

    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 ``COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act''.

SEC. 2. REVIEW OF COVID-19 HATE CRIMES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 14 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall designate an officer 
or employee of the Department of Justice whose sole responsibility 
during the applicable period shall be to facilitate the expedited 
review of COVID-19 hate crimes and reports of any such crime to 
Federal, State, or local law enforcement agencies.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``applicable period'' means the period 
        beginning on the date on which the officer or employee is 
        designated under subsection (a), and ending on the date that is 
        one year after the date on which the emergency period described 
        in subparagraph (B) of section 1135(g)(1) of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)) ends, except that the 
        Attorney General may extend such period as appropriate.
            (2) The term ``COVID-19 hate crime'' means a crime of 
        violence (as such term is defined under title 18, United States 
        Code) that is motivated by--
                    (A) the actual or perceived race, ethnicity, age, 
                color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, 
                gender, gender identity, or disability of any person; 
                and
                    (B) the actual or perceived relationship to the 
                spread of COVID-19 of any person because of the 
                characteristic described in subparagraph (A).

SEC. 3. GUIDANCE.

    (a) Guidance for Law Enforcement Agencies.--The Attorney General 
shall issue guidance for State and local law enforcement agencies on 
the following:
            (1) The establishment of online reporting of hate crimes or 
        incidents, and the availability of online reporting in multiple 
        languages.
            (2) The expansion of culturally competent and 
        linguistically appropriate public education campaigns, and the 
        collection of data and public reporting of hate crimes.
    (b) Best Practices to Describe the COVID-19 Pandemic.--The Attorney 
General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination 
with the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force and community-based 
organizations, shall issue guidance describing best practices to 
mitigate racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 
pandemic.
                                 <all>