COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act
- Last Action
- 3/11/2021
Actions
- 2021-03-11Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2021-03-11Introduced in Senate
CRS Summary
As of 2021-03-11 (00)
COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act
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.
It defines COVID-19 hate crime 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.
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.
Cosponsors (15)
- Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
- Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
- Cory Booker (D-NJ)
- Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
- Timothy Kaine (D-VA)
- Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
- Edward Markey (D-MA)
- Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
- Patty Murray (D-WA)
- Alex Padilla (D-CA)
- Jacklyn Rosen (D-NV)
- Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
- Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
- Richard Durbin (D-IL)
- Mark Warner (D-VA)
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
Sourced from Congress.gov (public domain).
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.