Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1105
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2007-04-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Arson
Child abuse
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime prevention
Crimes against women
Criminal investigation
Criminal justice information
Criminal statistics
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Explosives
Families
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to law enforcement
Federal law enforcement officers
Federal-state relations
Firearms
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Hate crimes
Housing and Community Development
Indian law enforcement
Juvenile delinquency
Kidnapping
Labor and Employment
Law
Minorities
Murder
Police training
Prejudice
Prosecution
Racial discrimination
Rape
Religion
Religious liberty
Rural crime
Sentencing guidelines
Sex crimes
Sex discrimination
Sexual orientation
U.S. Sentencing Commission
Victims of crimes
Violence
Women
Youth violence

Summary:
action_date: 2007-04-12
text: 
Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Attorney General to provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or other assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that: (1) constitutes a crime of violence under federal law or a felony under state, local, or Indian tribal laws; and (2) is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim or is a violation of state, local, or tribal hate crime laws. 

Directs the Attorney General to give priority for such assistance: (1) with respect to crimes committed by offenders who have committed crimes in more than one state; and (2) to rural jurisdictions that have difficulty covering the extraordinary investigation or prosecution expenses. Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to assist state, local, and Indian law enforcement agencies with such extraordinary expenses.

Directs the Office of Justice Programs to: (1) work closely with funded jurisdictions to ensure that the concerns and needs of all affected parties are addressed; and (2) award grants to state, local or tribal programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles. 

Amends the federal criminal code to impose criminal penalties for causing (or attempting to cause) bodily injury to any person using fire, a firearm, or any explosive or incendiary device because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of such person. 

Amends the Hate Crimes Statistics Act to require Attorney General to: (1) acquire data on crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on gender and gender identity; and (2) include in an annual summary of such data crimes committed by, and against, juveniles.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-09-26
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12087-12089)
action_date: 2007-09-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12026-12027)
action_date: 2007-04-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-04-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4445-4447)
action_date: 2007-04-12
text: Introduced in Senate