Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that specifies what constitutes a hate crime to include intentional wrong use of gender pronouns.

Highlights:

• Specifies that the following offenses against an individual based on actual or perceived characterstics shall constitute a hate crime with a $10,000 fine and felony conviction with up to a 5 year prison sentence, including (Sec. 1):

• Use of force or violence on another indivdual;

• Causes bodily injury to another individual;

• Intimidates another individual;

• Damages, destroys, or defaces any real, personal, digital, or online property of another individual without consent; and

• Threatens by words or act, to do any of the aforementioned actions.

• Defines “real or perceived characteristics” as the following, including (Sec. 1):

• Race or color;

• Religion;

• Sex;

• Sexual orientation;

• Gender identity or mental disability;

• Age;

• Ethnicity;

• National origin; and

• Association or affiliation with an individual or group of individuals in whole or in part based on the aforementioned characteristics.

• Defines “gender idenity or expression” as having or being perceived as having a gender-related self-identity or expression whether or not associated with an individual’s assigned sex at birth (Sec. 1).

• Defines “intimidate” as a willful course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment of another individual that would cause a reasonable indivdual to feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened, or that actually causes the victim to feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened (Sec. 1).

• Exempts constitutionally protected activity or conduct that serves a legitimate purpose from the aforementioned definition (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect after passage and approval by the governor (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text