The day after Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan unveiled hate-crimes legislation that he wants the Senate to pursue, a coalition of business and civil rights groups reiterated their desire for Georgia to approve a comprehensive law.
And the House’s five openly LGBTQ members want the Senate to pass legislation approved by their chamber more than a year ago.
The heads of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta Black Chambers of Commerce, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League and Georgia Equality released a statement Thursday encouraging the Legislature to “work across party lines and to move quickly” to pass hate-crimes legislation.
“While the recently introduced Senate proposal still requires additional study, we are committed as a business and civil rights community in working together with our elected officials to enact an effective hate crimes bill,” the groups said in a statement. “The final bill should address much-needed penalties for those who commit inconceivable attacks of murder, property destruction or personal targeting solely based on who they are.”
The Georgia House and Senate have been battling over what hate-crimes legislation should include. The House last March approved House Bill 426, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Chuck Efstration, which would enhance the penalty of those already convicted of crimes if the crime was found to have been motivated by bias.
Duncan on Wednesday announced plans to encourage the Senate to approve legislation that would create a separate hate-crimes law, require law enforcement to track instances of crimes found to be motivated by bias and outlines guidance for victims pursuing legal action.
The Legislature’s five openly LGBTQ members, all whom serve in the House, held a press conference pushing the Senate to consider HB 426.
"We do know that Georgia has a problem with hate crimes on the rise," said state Rep. Renitta Shannon, a Decatur Democrat who is bisexual. "But this new bill is an attempt to derail the great amount of work that has gone into House Bill 426. This public should reject this bill."
Georgia is one of at least four states that does not have a hate crimes law on the books. A 2000 hate-crimes law was struck down by the Georgia Supreme Court in 2004 for being “unconstitutionally vague.”
The February killing of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man, by a white father and son in Brunswick reignited calls for Georgia to pass a hate-crimes law.
A Senate panel is expected to consider Duncan’s hate-crimes proposal this week. If the Senate approves legislation that is different from HB 426, it would have to return to the House for its approval before lawmakers adjourn in seven legislative days if it is to become law.
See the full statement:
“We want to thank Speaker Ralston and members of the House leadership team for their steadfast support of HB 426 in passing meaningful bi-partisan hate crimes legislation in Georgia. We are also encouraged by our conversations with Lt. Governor Duncan to give this issue the attention it deserves. While the recently introduced senate proposal still requires additional study, we are committed as a business and civil rights community in working together with our elected officials to enact an effective hate crimes bill. The final bill should address much-needed penalties for those who commit inconceivable attacks of murder, property destruction or personal targeting solely based on who they are. Prioritizing equality and inclusion in our society remains paramount to Georgia’s continued ability to be the best state in which to live and do business. We encourage members of the General Assembly to work across party lines and to move quickly. The time to act is now.”
Chris Clark, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, President & CEO
Katie Kirkpatrick, Metro Atlanta Chamber, President & CEO
Dr. Allison Padilla-Goodman, ADL, VP Southern Division
Jeff Graham, Georgia Equality, Executive Director
James Woodall, Georgia NAACP, State President
Markee Tate, Atlanta Black Chambers, Inc., President & CEO
Santiago Marquez, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, President & CEO
