Developing Story: Iowa Senate passes transgender hate crime bill

[traci_k]

Iowa Senate passes transgender hate crime bill

KETV
UPDATED 3:50 PM CST Mar 08, 2016


DES MOINES, Iowa —The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that would make it a hate crime in Iowa to commit an offense against a person because that person identifies as transgender.

The Democratic-controlled chamber voted 27-21 Tuesday for the bill. It now heads to the Republican-majority House, where its future is unclear. The bill must be voted out of a full committee by Friday to meet a legislative deadline for the session.
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Although not passed into law yet, a bill like this should bring about some more awareness about the dangers transgender people face, not just discrimination. Keep it going Iowa!

[Janine]

All violent crimes either have roots in hate or heartless apathy for the humanity of a victim. It's sad that this is even needed. But some people think the best way to settle an ideological objection is with violence. Even worse is when they just want to commit violence because they enjoy it, and just single out a victim from a particular group because "no one cares about xxxxx's, I can rape and eviscerate them and no one will ever know". In such a rural state it's good to see this bill.

[Tysilio]

Sad to say, when I first saw this headline my first thought was "Oh, [expletive], now they're legalizing hate crimes."  There's too much of this "religious freedom" (to discriminate) garbage floating around, is what.

Great to see somewhere like Iowa moving in the other direction!