by Javonte Anderson, 8/24/2017

Indiana lawmakers are already making waves preparing legislation in January that would bring stiffer penalties to people who commit bias-motivated crimes.

On Thursday, Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores, said he would introduce legislation that would include a sentence aggravator for what is being defined as “bias” crimes.

“Unfortunately we think biased crimes apply to race, gender and gender identity but it’s far more reaching than that,” he said.

The bill would allow a court to consider it an aggravating circumstance for criminal sentencing if a crime was committed with intent to harm or intimidate an individual based on certain factors including race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, political ideology, sexual orientation and status as a public safety. The bill does not make a hate crime a separate criminal offense but creates a sentencing aggravator if a crime committed was bias-motivated.

 

Full Article:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-hate-crime-law-st–0825-20170825-story.html