Washington's Governor Gregoire Signs Transgender Hate Crimes Bill
Pam's House Blend
By Lurleen
April 22, 2009
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/10566/washington-governor-gregoire-signs-transgender-hate-crimes-bill (http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/10566/washington-governor-gregoire-signs-transgender-hate-crimes-bill)
Washington's Governor Chris Gregoire has signed the transgender hate crimes bill, SB 5952, which had bipartisan support in the legislature.
Washington's hate-crime law makes it a felony to threaten, damage the property of, or physically injure someone because of ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation. The law Gov. Gregoire just signed will expand the definition of sexual orientation to include "gender expression or identity" so that our hate crimes statutes protect transgender people too.