Monday, August 3, 2009
Senate passes the Matthew Shepard Hates Crimes Prevention Act
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
U.S. Senate passes the Matthew Shepard Hates Crimes Prevention Act
Equality Illinois applauds the passage of Matthew Shepard Hates Crimes Prevention Act, which adds sexual orientation and gender identity to existing federal hate crimes laws. We are especially grateful to the Illinois delegation - Senators Richard Durbin and Roland Burris - for co-sponsoring this important bill.
But this bill is not yet law. The Senate approved the Matthew Shepard Act as part of a larger defense appropriation bill, and now the Senate and the House of Representatives have to reconcile their passed versions of the bill before one version can reach the desk of President Obama.
Learn more about hate crimes prevention and what you can do about it at http://www.equalityillinois.org/.