Washington, DC – SMART today applauded the Senate for approving the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA) as an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill on Tuesday. If enacted, the amendment would strengthen existing hate crimes laws to ensure coverage for all communities affected by hate violence. The amendment also provides grants for state and local hate crime prevention programs, and gives the federal government greater power to assist state and local authorities to properly investigate and prosecute hate crimes. The amendment, offered by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR.), passed by an overwhelming 65-33 vote. “By supporting this amendment, the Senate has sent a clear message that hate crimes will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said SMART National Director Preetmohan Singh. “Even before the flurry of post-9/11 hate crimes affecting the Sikh American and other communities, we were working in coalition to pass this legislation. We will continue to support this bill on behalf of all Americans as it moves through the legislative process.” The bill will next be considered in conference with the House of Representatives. The LLEEA strengthens the federal hate crimes statute by removing obstacles to federal prosecution. Current hate crimes law leaves federal prosecutors powerless to intervene in bias-motivated crimes when they cannot also establish that the crime was committed because of the victim’s involvement in a “federally-protected activity” such as serving on a jury, attending a public school, or voting. If the LLEEA is enacted, federal assistance will also be offered to state and local law enforcement officials for the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes in the federal categories, and grants will be given for training in local law enforcement.
