Leading Against White Supremacy Act of 2022

Bill: 117-hr-7955
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2022-06-07
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Latest action: action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-06-07
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Leading Against White Supremacy Act of 2022</b></p> <p>This bill establishes a standard for determining whether a person engaged in a white supremacy inspired hate crime. The bill also sets forth the elements of related conspiracies.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill states that a person engaged in a white supremacy inspired hate crime when white supremacy ideology motivated the actions that constituted a crime or were undertaken in furtherance of activity that would have constituted a crime. </p> <p>Additionally, the bill sets forth the elements of an offense involving the conspiracy to engage in a white supremacy inspired hate crime. </p> <p>Finally, the bill authorizes the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute, and maintain records of white supremacy inspired hate crimes and related conspiracies. </p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7955 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 7, 2022 Ms. Jackson Lee (for herself, Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Carson , Mr. Cicilline , Mr. Mfume , Mr. Carter of Louisiana , Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick , Mr. Cleaver , and Mr. Butterfield ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To prevent and prosecute white supremacy inspired hate crime and conspiracy to commit white supremacy inspired hate crime.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Leading Against White Supremacy Act of 2022 . 2. White supremacy inspired hate crime (a) In general A person shall be determined to have engaged in a white supremacy inspired hate crime when white supremacy ideology is found to have motivated the planning, development, preparation, or perpetration of actions that constituted a crime or were undertaken in furtherance of activity that, if effectuated, would have constituted a crime. (b) Conspiracy A conspiracy to engage in white supremacy inspired hate crime shall be determined to exist— (1) between two or more persons engaged in the planning, development, preparation, or perpetration of a white supremacy inspired hate crime; or (2) between two or more persons— (A) at least one of whom engaged in the planning, development, preparation, or perpetration of a white supremacy inspired hate crime; and (B) at least one of whom published material advancing white supremacy, white supremacist ideology, antagonism toward replacement theory , or hate speech that vilifies or is otherwise directed against any non-white person or group, and such published material— (i) was published on a social media platform or by other means of publication with the likelihood that it would be viewed by persons who are predisposed to engaging in any action in furtherance of a white supremacy inspired hate crime, or who are susceptible to being encouraged to engage in actions in furtherance of a white supremacy inspired hate crime; (ii) could, as determined by a reasonable person, motivate actions by a person predisposed to engaging in a white supremacy inspired hate crime or by a person who is susceptible to being encouraged to engage in actions relating to a white supremacy inspired hate crime; and (iii) was read, heard, or viewed by a person who engaged in the planning, development, preparation, or perpetration of a white supremacy inspired hate crime. (c) Department of Justice authority, enforcement, monitoring, and reporting The Department shall have authority to conduct operations and activities pursuant to this section, specifically— (1) with regard to information or evidence obtained by the Department of any action cited in this section, the Department shall have the authority to investigate, intercede, and undertake other actions that it deems necessary and appropriate to interdict, mitigate, or prevent such action from culminating in violent activity; (2) the Department shall have the authority to prosecute persons who engaged in actions cited in this section; and (3) the Uniform Crime Reporting Program in the Department of Justice shall maintain records of white supremacy inspired hate crimes and related actions cited in this section, and enforcement actions in response thereto. The Department shall provide annual reports to the appropriate committees in Congress that shall include information cited in this paragraph.