COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act
Bill: S.728 | Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. (D-HI)
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 how to establish online hate crime reporting processes in multiple languages and how to expand 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 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) Applicable period.--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 1 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) COVID-19 hate crime.--The term ``COVID-19 hate crime'' 
        means a crime of violence (as such term is defined in section 
        16 of 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 
how to--
            (1) establish online reporting of hate crimes or incidents, 
        and to have online reporting available in multiple languages as 
        determined by the Attorney General; and
            (2) expand culturally competent and linguistically 
        appropriate public education campaigns, and collection of data 
        and public reporting of hate crimes.
    (b) Guidance Relating to 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.
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