May 27, 2005  |  By: EARTHA MELZE  | COMMENTS     

A hate crimes bill with explicit provisions for crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity was scheduled to be introduced in the House on May 26. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis).

Bills to add sexual orientation to federal hate crimes laws have been introduced each year since 1997. This bill is the first to include protections for transgendered people. It is also the first hate crimes bill endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Chris Anders, legislative counsel for the ACLU, said that the organization’s perennial concern that hate crimes laws could infringe on freedom of speech was alleviated by language added by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.)

According to the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, violence against transgendered people is widespread and under-reported.

The Task Force said that a 1997 GenderPAC survey found that 59 percent of transgendered people reported being the victim of harassment or violence.

The Human Rights Campaign said that according to a poll it sponsored, two-thirds of voters favor having hate crime laws that cover transgender people.

“The public support is there,” said Joe Solmonese, HRC’s executive director. “Congress should act swiftly to ensure local law enforcement agencies have the tools they need from the federal government to combat hate crimes against the entire gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.”