Stripped-Down Hate Crimes Bill Passes Senate

A stripped-down hate-crimes bill has passed the Indiana Senate.  The bill added “bias” to the list of factors judges can rely on to impose harsher sentences passed by a vote of 39-to-10. Democrats and Lafayette Republican Ron Alting, one of the bill’s co-authors, voted no, arguing that without a list of targeted groups, it’s not a hate crime bill at all.
33 Senate Republicans voted to delete the list of victim characteristics in hate crimes.   But other supporters say Thursday’s vote at least keeps the issue alive.
Indianapolis Republican Aaron Freeman, who introduced the amendment getting rid of of the list, says he did so because he feared the bill would die otherwise.
House Speaker Brian Bosma has said he believes a generic version has the best chance of passing. Governor Holcomb has said the catchall version is inadequate.
 

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