Congressman Polis Urges Passage Of House Hate Crimes Bill

Press Release

Congressman Jared Polis today urged his fellow members of the House of Representatives to take a stand against hate crimes and support H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

"The recent conviction of Angie Zapata's killer under Colorado's hate crimes law demonstrates exactly why we need strong federal hate crimes legislation," said Polis. "Hate crimes are not limited to the GLBT community—they occur every day, in every state, and perpetuate a climate of fear in minority communities. And what makes these crimes so odious is that they are not just crimes against an individual; they are crimes against entire communities and the very values and ideals upon which our country was founded. This legislation makes a clear statement that our country has zero tolerance for hate crimes."

Last week, a Colorado jury convicted Allen Andrade not only of first-degree murder but also a hate crime in the beating death of Angie Zapata, a transgender woman from Greeley, CO. This was the first time in the nation that a state hate crime statute resulted in a conviction of a transgender person's murder. As a result, Angie's killer will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Congressman Polis is an original cosponsor of H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which offers federal protection for victims of hate crimes targeted because of their race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. The bill will provide assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies and amend federal law to aid the investigation and prosecution of violent, bias-motivated crimes.

"I urge my colleagues to support this bill to expand the federal jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute hate crimes and provide law enforcement with another vehicle to ensure that the safety and rights of all Americans are protected," said Polis. "I look forward to President Obama signing it into law to help end this violence, especially in the many areas of the country lacking the hate crime protections that we have in Colorado."

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 has the support of nearly 300 civic and civil rights organizations, major religious organizations, and virtually every major law enforcement organization in the country, including the National Sheriffs Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National District Attorneys Association, and 26 state Attorneys General.

Source