COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act

Bill: 117-s-728
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2021-03-11
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Crime prevention

Crime victims

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Criminal justice information and records

Department of Justice

Disability and health-based discrimination

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Executive agency funding and structure

Federal officials

Foreign language and bilingual programs

Hate crimes

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Racial and ethnic relations

Religion

Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-03-11
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>COVID</b>-<b>19 Hate Crimes Act</b></p> <p>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.</p> <p>It defines <i>COVID-19 hate crime</i> 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.</p> <p> 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.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 728 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 11, 2021 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Ms. Duckworth , Mr. Blumenthal , Mr. Booker , Mrs. Feinstein , Mr. Kaine , Ms. Klobuchar , Mr. Markey , Mr. Menendez , Mrs. Murray , Mr. Padilla , Ms. Rosen , Mr. Van Hollen , Ms. Cantwell , Mr. Durbin , and Mr. Warner ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To facilitate the expedited review of COVID–19 hate crimes, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act . 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). 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.