Hate crimes and discrimination; antisemitism, penalties. (SB1184)

Introduced By

Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) with support from co-patrons Sen. John Cosgrove (R-Chesapeake), Sen. Travis Hackworth (R-Richlands), Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Mechanicsville), Sen. Steve Newman (R-Forest), and Sen. Tommy Norment (R-Williamsburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Hate crimes and discrimination; anti-Semitism; penalties. Provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to safeguard all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination in employment and in places of public accommodation because of such individual's ethnic origin. The bill also adds victims who are intentionally selected because of their ethnic origin to the categories of victims whose intentional selection for a hate crime involving assault, assault and battery, or trespass for the purpose of damaging another's property results in a higher criminal penalty for the offense. The bill also provides that no provider or user of an interactive computer service on the Internet shall be liable for any action voluntarily taken by it in good faith to restrict access to material that the provider or user considers to be intended to incite hatred on the basis of ethnic origin. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/10/2023Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/23 23104133D
01/10/2023Referred to Committee on the Judiciary
01/13/2023Impact statement from VCSC (SB1184)
01/26/2023Impact statement from DPB (SB1184)
01/30/2023Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
01/30/2023Reported from Judiciary with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/30/2023Committee substitute printed 23105369D-S1
01/30/2023Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
01/31/2023Impact statement from VCSC (SB1184S1)
02/01/2023Impact statement from DPB (SB1184S1)
02/02/2023Reported from Finance and Appropriations (16-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/03/2023Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/06/2023Read second time
02/06/2023Reading of substitute waived
02/06/2023Committee substitute agreed to 23105369D-S1
02/06/2023Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB1184S1
02/06/2023Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/06/2023Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/09/2023Placed on Calendar
02/09/2023Read first time
02/09/2023Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
02/16/2023Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #1
02/17/2023Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N)
02/20/2023Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (20-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/20/2023Committee substitute printed 23107194D-H1
02/22/2023Read second time
02/23/2023Read third time
02/23/2023Committee substitute agreed to 23107194D-H1
02/23/2023Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB1184H1
02/23/2023Passed House with substitute BLOCK VOTE (96-Y 0-N)
02/23/2023VOTE: Block Vote Passage (96-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2023House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2023House insisted on substitute
02/23/2023House requested conference committee
02/23/2023Senate acceded to request (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2023Conferees appointed by Senate
02/23/2023Senators: Reeves, Deeds, Surovell
02/23/2023Conferees appointed by House
02/23/2023Delegates: Kilgore, Bell, Filler-Corn
02/25/2023No further action taken
02/25/2023Failed to pass in Senate

Comments

Walter Ring writes:

This bill should not pass. Period. Thousands of White people are the victims of violent crimes by blacks and other nonwhites every day, how many of these crimes are considered hate crimes? Negligible, almost none. How many jews are actually crime victims, not to mention hate crime victims? Negligible, almost none. If White people get no special protections, then NO race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion should either. PERIOD. It is worth mentioning that republicans are the exclusive sponsors of this blatantly anti-White bill. So for those of you who call out the democraps, and believe me they need to be called out for being anti-White, the party of (republi) can't is just as guilty of that hate crime as well.

Ron Doggett writes:

Mr. Ring's comments are spot on, how many double standards are we supposed to tolerate? Worth mentioning that republicans falsely claim not to play identity politics, this shows the opposite. "Hate" crime is an Orwellian term and a backdoor to attacking people's right to free speech, assault is assault, vandalism is vandalism etc. applying thoughts to the crime for extra punishment is about as marxist as one can get, so much for conservative politicians.

Asim Ahmed writes:

There is absolutely NO way this bill should pass. Why is there ANY preferential treatment being catered to a specific ethnicity and not other people with varied ethnic backgrounds. Whoever or whatever group is pulling the strings behind this legislation obviously is attempting to use monetary and political influence to further advance their own selfish narrative, lest the bill be more inclusive. Restricting free speech via electronic communications by allowing “people” to omit or restrict any speech that they may perceive as inciting hatred based on ethnic background is stomping, for lack of a better term, on Americans right to free speech. Of course inviting a riot is and should be illegal along with promoting physical harm to any people however, if someone simply states that, for example, they have had terrible experiences in all their business encounters and dealings with people who all happened to be Jews, and that person recommends not working with Jews from some particular town or region and to boycott them because of their bad business practices and poor ethics…that person should have a right to say that without any threat of being charged with a hate crime. Of course it sounds prejudiced and maybe has some racist connotations, or, it could just be a more specified descriptor. No violence or rioting or hate is being portrayed. Of course, that is a more extreme example but, in my opinion, still does not meet any standard by which to charge said person with a hate crime. One has to wonder if we are being honest and logical about this entire situation. Republicans are the party pushing this bill??? Aren’t republicans firm believers, generally speaking, it the preservation of the constitution of the United States in the most original form possible? Aren’t republicans staunch supporters of our right as Americans to free speech? Who or what or how are these republican legislators being swayed to go against their core beliefs? Oh wait….that’s right…campaign donations to a republican, at least many of them, democrats too, will get these people to back anything. I forgot…our laws and bills and constitution are all for sale and subject to change if enough money and power, political or otherwise, are present. That’s right….lobbyists for corporations and private entities routinely buy our legislations and sway the law all the time to benefit them. Hmm…I wonder what ethnic group is the driving force behind this specific bill or legislation. Let’s not be retarded people. I use that word seriously. These republicans are being bought, clearly, to push a specific agenda giving one group of people more rights than another group of people. It’s sad and pathetic that this bill is even being considered given its specific language and clearly being catered to a select few. Why does this bill only refer to antisemitism. What about everyone else? If this passes, it confirms that our country and its laws are completely for sale to the highest bidder. Shame on America. I could just say that it doesn’t even matter since this happens constantly and every damn day anyways for a multitude of other interests by high rollers. If this bill passes, for me, it will be the tipping point for me to say for the first time in my life, fuck America. #fuckthisjewbill (uh oh, if this passes, I just committed a crime) What a joke and severe assault on free speech. (I was making a very pointed remark, obviously. Even with the obvious derogatory remark, this is still free speech you moron republicans.) Republicans are like cockroaches….they swarm over to whatever can feed them and ensure their disgusting survival. That’s why they are backing this bill. Only the truly ignorant won’t be able to see that. Using inflammatory language is sometimes the only way to get people to really pay attention. Let me be clear. I, myself, have Jewish friends and am not prejudiced or racist in anyway toward an entire group of people. I judge each person individually. And NO, I absolutely did not have to say that if I didn’t want to. Why? Because as an American we are supposed to have the right to free speech. I guess we are selling that mother fucker too. Fucking pathetic. Ashamed today to be an American.