President Obama signs Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law

Today President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law making it a federal crime to assault an individual based on a person's actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and/or disability. The legislation also strengthens existing hate crimes protections for a variety of other categories, including race, color, religion, ethnicity and national origin.

The passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is the first time in history gender identity will receive positive protection in federal law

The expanded hate crimes prevention act is named after Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten and James Byrd Jr., an African-American man dragged to death in Texas. Both brutal murders occurred in October 1998.

Posted in: Hate Crimes,James Byrd Jr,Legislation,Matthew Shepard,President Barack Obama