SENATE BILL: Combating Asian Hate Crimes (Passed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

SENATE BILL

To condemn the rise in hate crimes against the Asian community and provide for better reporting of the same and other purposes.

Be it enacted in both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Combating Anti-Asian Hate Crimes.

This act hereby recognises and condemns the rise in anti-Asian bigotry, hate crimes and violence both in Atlasia and across the world.

1.) Commission.

A.) A commission is hereby created to coordinate state, regional and federal law enforcement bodies and other relevant public bodies to reduce anti-Asian hate crimes in Atlasia. This commission shall consist of individuals appointed by the Attorney General.

2.) Data.

A.) Federal Law Enforcement bodies shall collect data on the number of asian hate crimes, and be required to report these numbers on an annual basis.

B.) Local, state-wide and regional law enforcement shall hereby receive support from the department of Justice to establish online reporting of hate crimes or incidents, with said data available on a monthly and yearly basis.

C.) $50 million in training grants shall hereby be appropriated to improve the reporting of hate crimes and to expand co-operation and inter-agency working practices.

People's Regional Senate
Pending

Sponsor: Blair
Senate Designation: SB30:07 I think

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Initial Debate Period, Sponsor has 24 hours to commence advocacy, the rest of the members 48 hours to respond.

[Blair]

This is a bill that largely aims to improve the recording of hate crimes: when I read around this subject recently one of the biggest issues cited was how few departments even monitoring or recording anti Asian hate crimes.

This bill is also one that I very much want to add more to; I got a bit of writers block while drafting it and thought it would be better to submit like this rather than giving up.

[SevenEleven]

I strongly support this bill. At first glance, I see no glaring issues, but combating hatred and violence must be an absolute priority.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

In response to the sponsors "writer's block", an issue I seem to get frequently these days amazingly, how does this compare to actions both legislative and not taken to respond to hate crimes in other communities?

I think that combined with a basis in what we have done that is cross applicable, would be a good way to determine what other appropriate steps need to be taken.

[Senator-elect Spark]

I am in full support of this bill.

[Blair]

In response to the sponsors "writer's block", an issue I seem to get frequently these days amazingly, how does this compare to actions both legislative and not taken to respond to hate crimes in other communities?

I think that combined with a basis in what we have done that is cross applicable, would be a good way to determine what other appropriate steps need to be taken.

My understanding is that most common problem is that there's no reporting at all (regardless of race)

This is why I didn't make it specific within 2B about what the hate crime reporting was; I'll have a look at what other legislative work has been done on this too.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

In response to the sponsors "writer's block", an issue I seem to get frequently these days amazingly, how does this compare to actions both legislative and not taken to respond to hate crimes in other communities?

I think that combined with a basis in what we have done that is cross applicable, would be a good way to determine what other appropriate steps need to be taken.

My understanding is that most common problem is that there's no reporting at all (regardless of race)

This is why I didn't make it specific within 2B about what the hate crime reporting was; I'll have a look at what other legislative work has been done on this too.

So if we have the reporting, then the presumption of the "common problem", is that existing statutes and procedures and penalties are sufficient to handle the problem from there basically?

[Blair]

In response to the sponsors "writer's block", an issue I seem to get frequently these days amazingly, how does this compare to actions both legislative and not taken to respond to hate crimes in other communities?

I think that combined with a basis in what we have done that is cross applicable, would be a good way to determine what other appropriate steps need to be taken.

My understanding is that most common problem is that there's no reporting at all (regardless of race)

This is why I didn't make it specific within 2B about what the hate crime reporting was; I'll have a look at what other legislative work has been done on this too.

So if we have the reporting, then the presumption of the "common problem", is that existing statutes and procedures and penalties are sufficient to handle the problem from there basically?

Broadly yes; although there is more that can be done through education, extra awareness etc

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The commission ought to consider the inherent vagueness and subjectiveness of the nature of the designation in practice.
I recall reading somewhere (in a Xahar post, iirc) that hate crime status is often added on in investigative phase and not reviewed in the vast majority of cases. There is a valid argument to the idea that hate crime status says more about how we as a society see crimes rather than anything about the crimes themselves. This means that frequently it is wishcasting. If it's not fashionable to see something as a hate crime, it won't get labelled as one, and vice versa.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The commission ought to consider the inherent vagueness and subjectiveness of the nature of the designation in practice.
I recall reading somewhere (in a Xahar post, iirc) that hate crime status is often added on in investigative phase and not reviewed in the vast majority of cases. There is a valid argument to the idea that hate crime status says more about how we as a society see crimes rather than anything about the crimes themselves. This means that frequently it is wishcasting. If it's not fashionable to see something as a hate crime, it won't get labelled as one, and vice versa.

Kind of like how in the post 911 world, how only Islamic originated terrorism is seen as terrorism in some eyes.

[Blair]

The commission ought to consider the inherent vagueness and subjectiveness of the nature of the designation in practice.
I recall reading somewhere (in a Xahar post, iirc) that hate crime status is often added on in investigative phase and not reviewed in the vast majority of cases. There is a valid argument to the idea that hate crime status says more about how we as a society see crimes rather than anything about the crimes themselves. This means that frequently it is wishcasting. If it's not fashionable to see something as a hate crime, it won't get labelled as one, and vice versa.

This is interesting- it’s similar I suppose to how LGBT hate crimes laws were once opposed because people wanted to pretend that it either didn’t exist or even worse... was justified. I’ll look into getting this into the bill but happy to hear more on it from you and others

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The commission ought to consider the inherent vagueness and subjectiveness of the nature of the designation in practice.
I recall reading somewhere (in a Xahar post, iirc) that hate crime status is often added on in investigative phase and not reviewed in the vast majority of cases. There is a valid argument to the idea that hate crime status says more about how we as a society see crimes rather than anything about the crimes themselves. This means that frequently it is wishcasting. If it's not fashionable to see something as a hate crime, it won't get labelled as one, and vice versa.

This is interesting- it’s similar I suppose to how LGBT hate crimes laws were once opposed because people wanted to pretend that it either didn’t exist or even worse... was justified. I’ll look into getting this into the bill but happy to hear more on it from you and others

I guess if there is anything I would add at this point it is that hate crime data is not as "scientific" as it would be in an ideal world, in part because the very concept is fundamentally an effort to distinguish bigotry-driven crimes from non-bigotry-driven crimes, and that is less of a hard break in reality than many would like.
I would favor the creation of a division within the relevant Federal Department who oversees the matter, tasked with looking at hate crimes (and if the resources so exist, crimes that might fairly be considered such but weren't) after the fact and seeing if events over the course of the legal system's proceedings in relation to the deeds show that the initial categorization was warranted. But I understand if that is too mighty of an effort to be feasible.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So where does that leave us here?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

So where does that leave us here?

is my assistance required in writing an amendment or whatnot?

[Blair]

I was going to offer an amendment but on review it doesn't seem like it is actually needed in the bill- at least in what I was hoping for the bill to do.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So proceeding with text as is then?

[Blair]

So proceeding with text as is then?

I’m happy to

[Blair]

Motion for a finale vote- 24 hours to object

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A final vote is now open here, Senators please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Aye

[Left Wing]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye

[Blair]

Aye

[Pericles]

Aye