David Ray Ritcheson Hate Crime Prevention Act

Bill: 111-hr-262
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2009-01-07 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Census and government statistics
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Criminal justice information and records
Disability and health-based discrimination
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Employee leave
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Hate crimes
Health care costs and insurance
Higher education
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Housing and community development funding
Law enforcement administration and funding
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: 
David Ray Ritcheson Hate Crime Prevention Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow victims of hate crimes to claim unemployment insurance for loss of employment directly resulting from their experience as victims of such crimes.

Prohibits health care insurers from taking into account whether a person is or has been a victim of a hate crime when making a determination as to eligibility for insurance coverage, the rate or premium of an insurance plan or policy, and the amount of insurance coverage provided. 

Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow a victim of a hate crime to take family and medical leave.

Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to award grants to provide housing to victims of a hate crime, homeless individuals who require housing assistance as a result of being a victim of a hate crime, and individuals for whom emergency shelter services are unavailable or insufficient. 

Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to: (1) provide counseling and related assistance to victims of hate crimes and their dependents; (2) establish and operate a national clearinghouse and resource center for information and statistics relating to the incidence and prevention of hate crimes; and (3) establish and operate a national, toll-free telephone hotline and a website to provide information and assistance to victims of hate crimes.

Requires the head of each federal agency to establish prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation programs and services relating to hate crimes for employees.

Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to local educational agencies and institutions of high education to improve and provide programs relating to hate crimes. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
action_date: 2009-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.
action_date: 2009-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2009-02-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2009-01-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Referred to House Financial Services
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Referred to House Administration
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Referred to House Education and Labor
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Referred to House Ways and Means
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Referred to House Judiciary
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, House Administration, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-07
text: Introduced in House