The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved a new Hate Crimes Bill for Georgia that not only includes sexual orientation but, surprise, surprise, gender identity. From here, the bill goes to the rules committee, then the Senate, then House committees, then the House and finally to the Governor. Now for those not familiar with Georgia, while Atlanta is a fairly progressive city, when you go outside the Perimeter (the I-285 loop) as far as attitude goes, you are essentially in Alabama. So I fully expect some red-neck republican from south Georgia to try and strip both sexual orientation and gender out of it. Then as a compromise to keep sexual orientation in, the sponsors of the bill will offer to drop gender. I'll be very surprised, although pleased, if the bill makes it to law intact. Right now, Georgia is only one of five states without a hate crimes law of some kind on the books as the previous state law was ruled too vague by the State Supreme Court.
Bev
