House Votes to Expand Hate Crimes Definition

[Shana A]

House Votes to Expand Hate Crimes Definition

By CARL HULSE
Published: October 8, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/us/politics/09hate.html?_r=1

WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday to expand the definition of violent federal hate crimes to those committed because of a victim's sexual orientation, a step that would extend new protection to lesbian, gay and transgender people.

The measure was named in part for Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming college student murdered in 1998.

Democrats hailed the vote of 281 to 146, which brought the measure to the brink of becoming law, as the culmination of a long push to curb violent expressions of bias like the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming college student.

more articles http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/10/house_approves_hate_crimes_mea.html
http://nctequality.blogspot.com/2009/10/breaking-news-hate-crimes-bill-moves.html
http://www.hrc.org/13644.htm
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j3JXAktzmuT9IaiWWA9dHdV9gFcgD9B75BUO1